Ultimate Power Rangers: Five Stars of Heaven
by Ryuranger
Summary: Tommy and his new team must harness the power of their spirits to fight the resurrected Gorma Empire. (Year Two of of my Ultimate Power Rangers series. UPR began in 2001 and started the saga of the Rangers over from the start. The longest-running PR Fanfic of all time, UPR incorporates Sentai, Kamen Rider, Metal Heroes and anime, creating a massive interconnected epic).
1. The Power Within

_**Author's Note: **This chapter starts Year Two of my Ultimate Power Rangers series, an AU/reboot of Power Rangers that incorporates Sentai, Kamen Rider, Metal Heroes, and anime.__ It begins a few months after the end of Ultimate Power Rangers Year One and adapts Dairanger._

_**Recap: **Zordon and Alpha left Earth after the Power Rangers defeated Bandora and DaiSatan. The Rangers' Power Coins and Dinozords returned to the Morphin Grid following the final battle._

* * *

**The Power Within**

Darkness fell over the Angel Grove docks. Thunder boomed through the skies, and purple lightning crashed to the ground as workers ran for their lives. An artificial wind blew to the shore and howled like the wailing of death.

A slick-black limo pulled up to the docks and slowly came to a stop. Several young men in dark suits left the car and walked towards the pier while fighting against the powerful wind.

A heavy fog rolled in from the waters. An old galleon rolled in from the fog and pulled up to the docks. The galleon was made of dark, rotting wood and had the bust of a skeleton on its bow. The ship lowered its boarding ramp.

Three black-leather clad figures walked down from the ramp.

The tallest of the trio was a man with metal studs and leather straps that held his clothes down tight against his muscular body. He wore a black mask that appeared similar to an old pilot's cap, only without the goggles. His eyes were wide and mad. His name was Zydos.

The woman of the group wore a leather bodysuit held together with what appeared to be zippers. Her suit gaped open at the chest to reveal a dark purple, leather body suit she wore beneath her outfit. She wore a black, leather cap over her head that wrapped down beneath her chin. Her name was Gara.

The man who walked in between Gara and Zydos was clearly in charge. Even though he was shorter than Zydos, he walked tall and strong. Buckles wrapped around his leather uniform and black leather cap. One buckle held a medal ring that surrounded his left eye. He wore white gloves tipped with blue nails. His name was Shadam.

The suited men lined up and kneeled at the Gorma's feet. One of them trembled with fear as he spoke. "The…Technomancer Organization welcomes the Gorma Empire to America."

Shadam looked at Gara and gave her a wicked smile before turning back to the man in the suit. Shadam reached out and placed his hand over the man's face as his palm began to glow bright white. Shadam superheated the man's head off.

Gara snapped her fingers, and a dozen dark-clad figures leapt from the galleon while carrying fencing-type sabers.

The men in suits ran in horror, retreating towards their limo.

The soldiers, Kyonshi, hacked into the men and cut them to pieces with deadly precision. The grunts wore skin-tight, solid-black bodysuits with white gloves. Each soldier had a V-shaped black mask over a white mask, which had slim, red-painted lips. The masks had no eye slits. Each soldier had a white, V-shaped collar with a red, demonic symbol.

Some of the men made it into the limo, but a group of Kyonshi landed on the hood and stabbed through the windshield, killing the driver.

Shadam and the others laughed.

* * *

Tommy Oliver and Jason Scott, both 16, circled around each other as they sparred at Bear Lake. The lake was surrounded by stone paths, trees, and bushes, nestled in between two bustling city blocks of gleaming white skyscrapers. Jason and Tommy's practice sessions at Bear Lake were frequent during the weeks after Bandora's defeat. This was their last match before Jason's trip to Japan to study abroad for a year.

Tommy leapt forward with a flying jump kick that Jason blocked. Tommy came at Jason with a flurry of knifehand strikes and backfist blows, each blocked by Jason. Jason countered with a knee blow that Tommy blocked and a punch that Tommy blocked, ducked under, and jumped up while slamming an uppercut against Jason's chest. Jason stumbled backward.

The two teens circled around each other while switching fighting stances. Jason smirked as he charged towards Tommy. Jason executed a flying crescent kick that Tommy ducked under. Tommy rose and kicked Jason in the chest with his left leg, using that as leverage to spin around and slam his other heel across Jason's head.

Jason fell to the ground, but immediately flipped back up. The two teens charged at each other and exchanged a fierce volley of kicks and punches. Tommy gained the upper hand. He tornado kicked Jason across the face, and while still in midair, brought his other leg around for a sidekick that slammed against Jason's chest.

Jason crashed to the ground.

"Not bad," Jason said as Tommy took his arm and helped him up.

"Thanks," Tommy said. The two teens grabbed their towels and started patting away the sweat on their faces. "So when are you leaving?"

"Later this afternoon," Jason said in disbelief. "I never thought I'd get to do the whole study-abroad thing,"

"Who else from the city was picked?" Tommy asked. "Besides Zack and Trini?"

Jason shrugged. "Only two other people. I can't remember their names."

"Well…" Tommy tried to cover up the sadness he felt because three of his closest friends were leaving for a year. They hardly saw each other anymore. Now that Jason, Zack and Trini were going off to study abroad in Japan for a year…they'd be missed. "I'm sure you'll all get along fine."

Nearby, a young Asian boy walked across a concrete path and played with his yo-yo while singing a Japanese folk song.

* * *

"Don't forget this," Kimberly said as she tossed Zack his toothbrush.

"Thanks," he said. His suitcase was open on his bed. Various pieces of clothing and utensils were strewn about. "I appreciate you helping me pack."

"No problem," Kimberly said. "It's not often one of your friends leaves for Japan for a year."

"Good point…" Zack said. He stopped packing for a moment and looked to Kimberly. "Tommy better take care of you while I'm gone."

Kimberly smiled. "He will."

The two hugged. "I'm glad we're still friends," Zack said.

"Me too," Kimberly said.

* * *

The next day, Tommy taught 10-year-old Simon Kaden a kata at Deer Creek. The wooded area was in a densely populated part of Angel Grove North near Simon's home. Simon and his older foster sister Maya had stumbled upon the Power Rangers during Bandora's first monster attack on Angel Grove the previous year. Maya and Simon had befriended the team.

Simon fell to the ground when he tried a spinning heel kick. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head with embarrassment. "Oh, man…"

Tommy reached down his hand to help Simon up. "Focus, focus, focus."

"Easier said than done," Simon said. "I have a lot on my mind for a kid my age."

Tommy grinned. "Don't we all, but everything's going to be okay from now on."

A dark-gold tentacle suddenly sprang from the nearby bushes and wrapped around Simon's legs. The boy screamed as the tentacle whipped him off his feet and dragged him away.

"Simon!" Tommy shouted as he ran towards Simon.

"Tommy!" Simon shouted.

Tommy ran as fast as he could, but he could not make it in time to save his young friend. The tentacle dragged Simon across the grass for several meters before pulling him underneath the ground.

"No!" Tommy shouted.

The tentacle shot back up from the surface, opened a gaping maw, and sprang towards Tommy. The former ranger sprinted away from the tentacle and ran as fast as he could while it followed. He had to fall back and find a way to rescue Simon.

Tommy fled from the park and ran across a busy street. The tentacle practically stayed at his heels. He ducked into an alley and ran through the back streets. He made it to the rear of a used-car lot and stood with his back to a wall. He listened, but could not hear the tentacle slithering after him. "Well that was something you don't see everyday," he said. "…at least not anymore."

A voice started singing what sounded like a Japanese folksong. Tommy turned to see a young Japanese boy standing on a car while playing with a yo-yo. Tommy wrinkled his brow at the boy. Two dark tentacles suddenly sprang from beneath the car. A tentacle wrapped around Tommy and lifted him in the air, squeezing his chest and making it hard for him to breath.

A large shadow cast over them from above. Tommy looked up, and his breath caught in his throat. A large red-armored Chinese dragon swooped down from the sky and opened its jaws. A stream of fire poured out and exploded around the boy with massive bursts of flame.

Tommy dropped to the ground, bashed his head against the pavement, and lost consciousness. The dragon scooped Tommy up with its claws and flew back into the sky.

* * *

Tommy slowly awoke and stood up as he rubbed the back of his head. He found himself in a strange room filled with boxes, a small TV screen, and floating green orbs. A small stage sat in the center of the room. The walls and ceiling were made of brick.

The door behind Tommy slammed shut. Tommy moved to the door and tried to open it, but the door would not budge. He slammed his shoulder against the door and bashed it open. He moved into a small corridor with stairs nearby.

Five multi-colored cycles lined the wall. Each cycle was modeled after a different animal. The red-dragon cycle revved up, and its eyes pulsed red. Tommy narrowed his eyes and stared at the cycle. What the hell was going on?

Tommy dashed up the stairs and found a door, which led to an area beneath the city's subway system.

* * *

Tommy entered the main, massive lobby of the subway station called Nexus, Angel Grove's version of Grand Central Station. Tommy looked around the station with confusion. "This is the southside…How the hell did I get down here?"

He saw a teen around his age walking towards him. Tommy only noticed because the teen was staring right at him with cold brown eyes.

Tommy shook his head and turned. He tried to lose himself in the large crowd, but another teen was walking towards him. The teen had medium length brown hair and hazel eyes. Tommy stood still. He was tired of moving. He wanted answers.

* * *

The teens led Tommy back into the room beneath the subway system. They did not exchange a single word during the trip. They walked towards a man in a brown kimono who sat on the small stage in the center of the room. The Asian man wore a brown headband that covered his forehead, and he had a dark goatee.

"Who the hell are you people?" Tommy asked, his eyes fixed on the man. "What's going on?"

"My name is Master Kaku," the man said as he stood. "You, Tommy, have a destiny other than the one you were expecting. You have been chosen to fight against the Gorma."

"The Gorma? Who are the Gorma?" Tommy asked as the other teens sat around on crates.

"8,000 years ago, in 6000 BC," Kaku said. "An ancient civilization known as the Daos reached its pinnacle in southern China. The Gorma was the military arm of the Daos civilization. Around 4000 BC, the Gorma were corrupted by their dark Ki powers, which they used to transform themselves into monsters. They attacked the civilization without mercy. They were a cancer that devoured nature. Slaughtered thousands during the 500 Year War.

"Now they have returned, and you must fight against them. Your Kiryoku is strong. You have the power, and with that comes a responsibility to use it against the Gorma."

"I know more about power and responsibility than you'll ever know," Tommy said.

"I know all about you, Tommy," Kaku said. "Dragon Ranger."

Tommy wrinkled his brow and took a step back. "How?"

Kaku ignored the question and continued with his story. "When the Gorma attacked the civilization, five brave warriors with extraordinary levels of Ki rose to oppose them. They were the Gosei Sentai Dairanger.

"The Gorma were eventually wiped out, but I knew they would someday be reborn. As did Zordon."

"Zordon? What did he have to do with that war?" Tommy asked.

"He helped me prepare for the return of the Gorma," Kaku said. "He chose you, Kimberly and Billy to take on the fight against the Gorma…along with Rocky and Adam."

"Here, pal," Rocky DeSantos said. The hazel-eyed teen handed Tommy two wrist bracers.

"What are these?" Tommy asked.

"Your Aura Changers," Kaku said. "The Spirit, Soul, Body, and Mind work in conjunction to create Life Energy called Chi, also called Ki. Chi flows through the body in its own circulatory system, connected by 64 Chakra points.

"Your Dino Power Coin infused your Body with the Life Energy of your Dragonzord. The Dragonzord's Life Energy was mixed with your own Chi. Your Body, infused with the Dragonzord's Life Energy, used the Power Coin as a conduit to channel energy from the One Power.

"These Aura Changers work differently," Kaku explained. "They will spark your inner Chi and allow you to channel The Power directly, through your Chakra Points, to transform. You channeled The Power this very way when you fought DaiSatan. That was your Kiryoku. Your Chi Power."

Tommy nodded. "So where are Billy and Kimberly?"

"They will rendezvous with you three at the main Angel Grove North subway station," Kaku said. "They have already been informed of the situation."

Tommy nodded and looked to Rocky and Adam Park. "Let's go." He led them from the lair.

Kaku sighed. Knowing Tommy's history, and the teen's family's history, Kaku had hesitated before selecting him as the Dragon Ranger. However, Zordon had assured him it was the boy's destiny.

* * *

Billy leaned over the railing at the subway station as Kimberly stood next to him. They stood on the upper street level and looked down, to where two rows of steps led upward from both sides of the subway station's main entrance.

Billy anxiously checked his watch. "Do you think they've gotten a hold of Tommy yet?"

Kimberly nodded. She couldn't help wondering how Tommy would react. "Probably."

"It's just our luck that these Gorma show up right after Jason, Trini, and Zack leave," Billy said.

"I wish Zordon would come back," Kimberly said. Their former mentor Zordon had left for his homeworld of Eltar shortly after the defeat of Bandora.

"Me too…" Billy sighed. "Let's look around and see if the others are here yet."

* * *

Three giant metallic spheres hovered less than a mile away from the subway station. Each sphere had a strip of black along its equator. The spheres were not visible to the human eye. Below the spheres, Gara carried a briefcase over a bridge towards an empty factory warehouse. Shadam and Zydos waited for her inside the building.

She walked over to Shadam and Zydos and opened the briefcase. Inside were several metallic spheres that looked like bloated grenades. A small monitor embedded in the briefcase showed an image of Billy and Kimberly.

A wicked smile crossed Shadam's face. "That's them."

* * *

Kimberly and Billy walked silently across a sidewalk that wrapped around the upper level of the station. A group of bicyclists rode past them and continued for several feet before skidding to a halt and flipping their bikes around to face the teens' backs.

The bikes' horns honked to get the teens' attention. Billy and Kimberly looked over their shoulders towards the riders. The bicyclists started peddling towards the two teens as their eyes glared forward like daggers.

"Come on," Billy said as they moved towards a steep flight of stairs that led down to the lower level outside the station. They started sprinting down the stairs, but the bikes rode down a stairwell that ran parallel to theirs.

Billy and Kimberly reached the bottom of the stairs as the bikes started to circle around them. Billy and Kimberly, reflexes honed after a year's worth of fighting for their lives, leapt over a group of riders while kicking them on their bikes. The riders toppled over as Billy and Kimberly landed outside their circle.

A pair of riders whipped the rear tires of their bikes around, slamming the tires against the teens and sending them flying backward. They went stumbling across the ground as Tommy, Rocky, and Adam arrived from a secondary below-ground entrance.

"Kim," Tommy said as he helped Kimberly to her feet.

"Tommy." She hugged him. They both knew their lives were about to turn upside down once again.

"I know I'm new at this," Rocky said, "but now doesn't seem like the appropriate time for a cheerful reunion."

The riders started pedaling towards the five teens. The bicyclists dropped their disguises, transforming into the black-clad Kyonshi.

"Here comes the welcoming committee," Rocky said.

"Let's go," Tommy said as he and the other teens ran towards the Kyonshi. Each teen leapt forward, knocking a soldier from a bike. The teens each picked up a bike and rode off, with the Kyonshi following close behind.

The teens rode back to street level as a group of waiters carrying serving trays stood in front of their path. The waiters turned, dropping their disguises and transforming into the black-clad Kyonshi warriors.

"You gotta be kidding," Rocky said as the Kyonshi hurled razor-sharp trays at the teens.

The teens swerved out of the way. The serving trays struck the faces of several Kyonshi, knocking them from their bikes.

The rangers sped past the entrance to a pay parking lot and knocked down the stop strips, despite the security guards' yells of protest. The strips clotheslined a group of Kyonshi off their bikes.

The teens kept riding, but the Kyonshi gained on them. Rocky and Adam skid their bikes to a halt while turning sideways. A pair of Gorma soldiers crashed against their bikes and went flipping over.

Adam and Rocky caught up with the others near the Falls Pointe factory area that was bordered by the bustling city on one end and woodland on the other end. A truck full of boxes suddenly pulled out in front of the teens. They crashed against the truck and went tumbling off their bikes, through the boxes, and onto the ground.

Rocky shook his head as he and the other teens rose to their feet. "That would make a hell of a ride at Disney."

They heard a boy singing a Japanese folk song from behind. They turned to see the young boy walk forward while playing with a yo-yo. The boy's body slowly contorted into a Gorma monster. Its body was made of twisting dark-gold tentacles. It had a single eye, the trademark of the Gorma soldiers.

"I am Himo Danshaku," the monster said. His name translated into Baron String.

"Gorma…" Tommy cursed.

"Tentacle Strike!" the Gorma thrust out his hand and launched five tentacles at the teens. The tentacles wrapped around them and pulled them off their feet. The villain whipped them across the air while slamming them against walls, skidding them across the ground, and bashing them through stacks of crates.

The Gorma lifted the teens high into the air and tightened his tentacles. Kyonshi gathered around the monster to watch. The Baron laughed at their struggles. "Having trouble breathing?" The villain fired a spear-shaped tentacle towards Tommy's head. "Tentacle Blade!"

Tommy narrowed his eyes. He had faced Bandora. DaiSatan. Goldar. Countless monsters. Baron String was about to join the ranks of the Rangers' defeated enemies.

Tommy caught the spear and kicked the tentacle aside. He readied his Aura Morphers. He extended both hands forward to roll his sleeves off the braces. "Chakra…" He brought his arms back and used his left hand to flip out the lever on his right brace. "…Ignite…" The others did the same with their braces.

"Aura Power!" Tommy shouted as he and the others connected their bracers. Their morphers pulsed with energy, igniting their inner Chi power as shells of radiant energy wrapped around their bodies.

The energy ripped the Gorma's tentacles, causing the monster to stumble backward to the ground. Kyonshi gathered around the Baron and helped him to his feet. They looked up as the teens landed on top of a broad stairwell nearby, energy still shimmering around their bodies.

The Rangers turned and snapped out their arms. The energy shells around them shattered. The teens were in their Ranger forms, intricate armor wrapped skin-tight around their bodies, and helmets with the golden symbols of their totem animals engraved around their visors. The Rangers snapped into fighting stances and shouted their names towards the villains below.

"Dragon Ranger! Heaven Fire Star, Red!" Tommy shouted.

"Tenma Ranger! Heaven Gravity Star, Blue!" Rocky called.

"Lion Ranger! Heaven Illusion Star, Green!" Adam yelled.

"Kirin Ranger! Heaven Time Star, Yellow!" Billy shouted.

"Phoenix Ranger! Heaven Wind Star, Pink!" Kimberly called.

Dragon Ranger lifted his hand towards the air. "Power of the Stars, brought down…Heaven Star Task Force…" Together, they shouted: "Power Rangers!"

"Gorma," Dragon Ranger shouted as he pointed down to the villains below. "Let the kids you kidnapped go before things get ugly."

"Bring it on!" Baron String yelled.

"Let's go!" Dragon Ranger shouted as the five Rangers energized and jumped through the air.

Phoenix Ranger landed on the ground, executed a front flip, and swept the legs out from under one of the soldiers. She turned to her left and slammed a knifehand strike against a grunt's neck. Phoenix Ranger snapped to her right while driving her elbow into another soldier's gut. Then she looked forward to see a Kyonshi rush towards her.

Phoenix Ranger blocked two of the soldier's punches. She spun counterclockwise, slamming a left knifehand strike that the soldier blocked. She spun back around while swinging her right leg in an outer crescent kick that the soldier ducked under. The soldier rose back to full height as Phoenix Ranger slammed a roundhouse kick across the villain's head.

Another soldier moved in from her side and swung a short staff, but Phoenix Ranger rolled underneath the blow.

Nearby, Lion Ranger rolled across the ground, rose to a crouched position, and twirled a red staff around while assuming a defensive stance. "Thunder Staff!"

A group of Kyonshi armed with fencing-type sabers charged towards him. Lion Ranger low blocked a blow and whacked the end of his staff across the soldier's head.

He turned to his left and speared the left end of his staff against a soldier's gut. He moved to his right, spinning his staff, and swinging downward to knock the weapon from a soldier's hand. He snapped the staff upside the soldier's head. He twirled the staff and swung 180 degrees, bashing the weapon across three soldiers and knocking them to the ground.

Lion Ranger moved to his left and charged at a soldier while knocking the weapon out of its hand. The Green Ranger thrust his staff between the soldier's legs and used the leverage to hurl the grunt through the air.

Meanwhile, Tenma Ranger bashed a soldier's head with two fluid tornado kicks. Then he used his right leg to sweep the feet out from that soldier.

Tenma Ranger stomped off the Gorma while jumping, extending his legs and kicking two soldiers in the face. He landed on his hands and kicked his legs backward, smashing his heels against two soldiers' faces.

Close by, Kirin Ranger twirled his staff into a fighting position. "Thunder Staff!"

He held his staff vertically to block two soldiers' sabers. He twirled around with his staff to knock the two swords away. He speared the right end of his staff against one of the soldier's chests, and the other end of his staff against the second soldier's gut.

Kirin Ranger spun to his right while swinging the left end of his staff against a soldier's gut. He brought the right end of his staff crashing down on the back of the soldier's neck. He moved forward while spinning his staff, smashing across another soldier's head.

Kirin Ranger moved in low towards his next target, smashing the legs out from under a soldier and bashing the edge of his staff against the fallen grunt's chest.

Meanwhile, a tentacle wrapped around Dragon Ranger's neck. Baron String pulled the Ranger into an open field and released his grasp, sending the Ranger tumbling across the ground. Dragon Ranger rolled to his feet and snapped into a fighting stance. The two opponents started to circle around each other.

"You are no where near as strong as your ancestors," the Baron said. "You are not fit to wage this war."

"I've beaten much better than you in my time!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

The two opponents charged at each other. Dragon Ranger executed a flying crescent kick that Baron String ducked under. Dragon Ranger swung the back of his fist towards the Gorma. Baron String blocked the blow and slapped Dragon Ranger's arm away.

The villain used it tentacle arm as a club and slammed it against Dragon Ranger's side. Dragon Ranger wrapped his hands around the arm and tried to flip the villain over. But Baron String slammed his other hand across the Ranger's head, knocking the Red Ranger backward.

"Tentacle Strike!" Baron String fired a tentacle that slammed against Dragon Ranger and sent him flying backward. The Ranger smashed against a wall, webbed cracks splitting the concrete on impact before he crumbled to the ground.

Dragon Ranger rose to his feet and unsheathed his sidearms: a slender Thunder Sword and a short saber called a Star Cutter, only slightly larger than a dagger. Dragon Ranger leapt through the air and angled his decent towards Baron String.

"Thunderbolt Cut!" His blades energized with cyan-tined power. He landed while slashing his Thunder Sword diagonally across the Gorma's chest, his blade sparking on impact. Dragon Ranger dashed forward and swung his Star Cutter across the Gorma's chest while passing the villain.

Dragon Ranger jumped and turned while chopping both blades down towards Baron String. The Baron grabbed the Thunder Sword and smashed his tentacle hand across Dragon Ranger's head twice. Dragon Ranger stumbled backward, dropping his weapons.

Baron String wrapped a tentacle around Dragon Ranger and whipped him off his feet. Dragon Ranger went flailing over the Gorma and crashing to the ground. Dragon Ranger rose to his feet while struggling to break free from the tentacle.

He saw his sabers on the ground behind Baron String. Dragon Ranger clasped his left hand over his right fist and focused his energy while concentrating on the sabers. "Ki!" he shouted as the dragon eyes on his helmet flashed with power.

Invisible strands of energy slid the sabers back into the Red Ranger's hands. He chopped his Thunder Sword through the tentacle, sparking on impact, as Dragon Ranger broke free. Baron String stumbled backward.

Dragon Ranger snapped into a fighting stance and held his blades together as Baron String rose to his feet. The eyes of the dragon on the Red Ranger's helmet flashed. Lightning started to crackle around the Ranger as his swords vibrated with fiery power. "Heaven Fire Star! Lightning Flames of Destruction!"

He extended the blades forward in an X-shaped pattern. A torrent of flame shot forth from the weapons and crashed against Baron String with a wave of destruction. The Baron went flying backwards, explosions sparking across his entire body as he went crashing inside a warehouse.

Dragon Ranger lowered his blades as the other Rangers gathered around him. Baron String, his body torn and ripped beyond recognition, weakly rose from the rubble. His maw opened, and a group of captured children were released in streams of light. The kids materialized on the ground close by.

"Simon!" Dragon Ranger called as he ran over to the kids. He leaned down towards Simon and helped him to his feet.

Simon wrinkled his brow with confusion at the sight of the red-armored Ranger. "What the hell?"

"Watch your mouth," Dragon Ranger said.

Simon's eyes opened wide with recognition. "Tommy!"

"Run," Dragon Ranger said. The other kids rose to their feet and ran off as Baron String stumbled towards the Rangers.

"You think this is over?" the Baron said as he pulled a sphere grenade from behind his back. He pulled off the top of the grenade and slammed it to the ground. Baron String absorbed the energy of the mystic explosion and used that power to repair his body and grow to giant size.

Baron String kicked up loads of dirt from the ground, knocking the Rangers backward. The Rangers rose to their feet as Baron String slammed his tentacle against the ground. The impact shook the Rangers from their feet.

"We have to do something," Lion Ranger said.

* * *

Kaku sat in a meditative pose within the subway lair. He focused his power to the Rangers and their battle. Green hovering spheres started to flash with energy as the lair started to shake, and lights began to flicker.

Kaku's astral form jetted down the Astral Plane while sitting on a mystic cube-shaped object. "Kiden Shorai!"

The cube shot forward and exploded with a burst of energy that reached out along the planes of existence. The image of the red-armored Chinese dragon appeared, summoned again by Kaku's power.

* * *

Dragon Ranger unsheathed his Thunder Sword and ran his hand along the blade, which started to glow with red energy. He held the saber towards the sky. "Thunderzord arise! Red Dragon!"

The Red Dragon named Ryuseiou swooped down from the skies. The Rangers stared up with amazement at its grace and beauty.

Dragon Ranger combined his Thunder Sword and Star Cutter into a blaster. "Thunder Blaster!" he shot a white-energy grappling beam that wrapped around the dragon and reeled him in towards his zord.

Dragon Ranger landed on the zord's head and leaned forward as the beast streaked towards his opponent. "It's time to take care of business…"

…**to be continued**


	2. Rookie in Blue

**Rookie in Blue**

The Red Dragon armed its black claws and swooped past Baron String. The Dragon slashed its claws across the Gorma's chest, sparking on impact as the giant Gorma stumbled backward.

Baron String extended his eye stalk. The Gorma fired a volley of optic blasts that exploded across the Red Dragon's armor. Explosions sparked around Dragon Ranger as he stood on top of the zord's head. He was scathed by the blasts. "It's getting too hot up here."

Dragon Ranger hopped down into the zord's cockpit, which was embedded in the beast's armor. Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere on the console in front of him.

"Red Dragon!" Dragon Ranger shouted. "Fire Blast!" The dragon opened its jaws. A stream of fiery destruction poured out and crashed against the monster. Explosions sparked against Baron String as the flames washed over him.

"Red Dragon, rise up!" The zord surged with crimson lightning and started to change shape. Red Dragon transformed into a humanoid warrior and landed on the ground while stepping back into a fighting stance.

The other Rangers gathered at the feet of Red Dragon and looked up.

"Let's get in," Tenma Ranger said. He and the other Rangers entered the Red Dragon's cockpit. Each stood behind their own crystal sphere within the cockpit.

"It's time to see what you're made of," Dragon Ranger said to the Baron.

"What?" the Gorma said. "You'll regret that!"

The two opponents circled around each other. Although The Power guided him, Dragon Ranger was still getting accustomed to piloting the giant zord. Piloting Red Dragon was as different from controlling the Dragonzord as playing ice hockey was to playing a hockey video game.

The opponents charged at each other. Red Dragon used both arms to grab hold of Baron String, but the Gorma knocked Red Dragon's arms away. The villain snapped a kick that Red Dragon blocked.

In the cockpit, Dragon Ranger launched a flurry of knifehand strikes. Red Dragon copied the Ranger's movements. The zord slammed a series of knifehand strikes that sparked on impact against the Gorma.

Red Dragon slammed its heel against Baron String, sending the villain tumbling backward across the ground. The Baron reached up, his body trembling as he tried to rise. His eye closed and his body went limp.

"Yes," Tenma Ranger said. He and Lion Ranger thought the monster was defeated. Dragon Ranger, Kirin Ranger, and Phoenix Ranger knew better.

Baron String snapped his eye open and wrapped a tentacle around the zord from behind. The Baron sent an energy wave through his tentacle that struck Red Dragon, causing explosions across the zord's armor.

"Dragon Staff!" Dragon Ranger commanded. A slender black staff appeared in the Dragon's hand. Red Dragon slashed through the tentacle to break free.

Baron String stumbled backward but stayed on his feet as Red Dragon charged forward. Red Dragon dashed past Baron String while slashing the Gorma across the chest. Red Dragon turned and brought its staff down diagonally, sparking against the Gorma on impact.

Red Dragon jammed the end of his staff in the ground. He used the staff as leverage to spin around, repeatedly slamming its feet against the Gorma. Baron String was forced back as Red Dragon landed.

The zord started to spin its staff like a propeller. The staff gathered crimson energy as the zord charged forward. "Dragon Staff!" Dragon Ranger shouted. "Whirling Force!"

Red Dragon swung the staff down with a streak of red energy that tore through the Gorma's body. The villain crackled with red energy that exploded across his armor. The Gorma fell backward, his energy overloading and exploding with a burst of flame.

Red Dragon lowered its staff, standing tall in victory.

* * *

The next day, Tommy walked slowly through a graveyard with a bouquet of flowers in hand. It was Shannon's birthday. It was also the first time Tommy visited her burial site. Kimberly had offered to come with, but she understood why he had to do it alone.

He took a step closer to her tombstone and laid the flowers down. He got to his knees and ran his hand along the edges of the stone. "I should have come here a long time ago…but I've been avoiding it. I thought it would have been easier once I brought the people who did this to you to justice. But it wasn't.

"Now there's another…threat. Jason isn't around, so I'm in charge. I didn't plan to be. No one told me to be. It just happened. It's kind of scary…How am I supposed to lead the others after the things I've done. After…what happened to you." He rolled his hands into fists and clenched his muscles. A tear rolled down his cheek. "I let you down. I failed you."

He heard footsteps come from behind him. He snapped around. It was Shannon's mother. "I'm sorry I startled you," she said.

Tommy wiped his tears and rose to his feet, his face turning slightly red with embarrassment. "No…I'm sorry, Mrs. Parker. I'll get out of your way."

"Tommy," she said as she walked towards him. He could not bring himself to look at her. "It's okay. You can stay. I haven't seen you since…this happened. It's been over a year."

"I…I know," Tommy said. "Things have been crazy."

"Tommy…I heard part of what you said. This isn't your fault…"

Anger welled up inside of Tommy. He clenched his jaw. "Yes it is. More than you know," he walked away. His mind flashed back.

_Goldar rose back to his feet and charged towards Shannon. "Now it's your turn!" he grabbed her by the arm and whipped her around, holding her back to his chest while he pressed a sword to her neck. _

_She screamed, and Tommy, the Green Dragon Ranger, froze with rage and terror. _

"_Don't you dare, Goldar!" Dragon Ranger shouted. _

"_This time I'll do it right," Goldar snarled. "This time I want you to remember that her death is all your fault!"_

_He slit her throat._

"_No!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he rushed forward. _

_Goldar stepped back and shimmered away. Shannon continued to drop. Dragon Ranger caught her before she hit the ground. "Shannon…"_

_He shook his head, cradling her body as he rocked back and forth. "Not again…" He looked up into the sky and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Not agaaaaain!"_

* * *

Zydos walked through the lower streets of Angel Grove West with a heavy brown sack draped over his shoulder. The bag started shaking. Whatever was inside was anxious to escape.

Zydos became frustrated with the bag's movement and dumped its contents onto the ground. The Gorma known as Gamaguchi Houshi, the Purse Priest, spilled out. Purse Priest had a black muscular body covered with red leather straps. He wore a red mask that wrapped over his entire head. Various pockets lined his spine.

"What is it, Zydos?" the Priest asked.

"You idiot," Zydos spat as he kicked the Priest. "Don't question me. You know what your job is."

"Yes, yes," Purse Priest said as he rose to his feet.

"Then move quickly," Zydos said impatiently. "The ceremony will start soon."

The Gorma monster leapt into the air and vanished from sight.

* * *

Rocky DeSantos sparred at his sensei's dojo in Angel Grove West. He stood in the ring while fighting against a kick boxer as his young 10-year-old student and friend Justin Stewart watched. Justin had long brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Rocky," his sensei Master Higashi said from the sidelines as the teen blocked a combination of round kicks. "You'll have to do better if you expect to win the tournament tomorrow. You'll have to act like a true pupil of the Koppouken style."

Rocky wanted to become a professional fighter after he finished high school. And he planned to attend college as a back-up plan. The latter was his mother's idea, as well as her order.

A heel slammed across Rocky's face and knocked him to the mat.

"Come on, Rocky, don't give up!" Justin yelled.

"Easy for you to say, little guy," Rocky said as he struggled back to his feet.

* * *

Rocky went jogging through the suburbs after practice. Justin rode on a bicycle ahead of Rocky and carried a small timer. "Come on, Rocky, keep up!"

"Ya know," Rocky said in between breaths, "isn't it time for you to get back to the shelter?"

"Not getting out that easy!" Justin said with a smile as he sped up.

Rocky sighed and stopped a moment to catch his breath. Justin moved ahead. The boy passed a basketball court and stopped to admire the players. The basketball was knocked out of the court, and Justin peddled after it.

The ball bounced into a wide alley, and Justin followed. Justin dropped down his bike and moved after the ball. But the ball bounced into the hands of a tall Japanese man. The man narrowed his eyes and smiled at Justin.

Justin took a step back, a chill creeping down his spine.

The man extended both hands and turned the ball, which transformed into a red gourd-type mask. "You won't be returning home today."

Justin screamed and started to run away. The man leapt forward and hurled the mask-like ball. The mask slammed against Justin and enveloped his head. The boy lost consciousness and crumbled to the ground.

* * *

Rocky shot back to his feet when he heard Justin scream. He ran as fast as he could and turned into the alley. He saw the Japanese man pick up Justin and drape the boy over his shoulder.

"Hey!" Rocky shouted as he charged towards the man. The stranger and Justin suddenly blinked out of sight.

Rocky skid to a halt. Was that man a Gorma? As if to answer, a padded staff swung from nowhere and slammed across Rocky's head. The ranger went flying backward.

Rocky armed his Aura Morphers while flailing through the air. "Chakra ignite!" Blue energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Tenma Ranger somersaulted through the air and landed on his feet while snapping into a fighting stance. He turned to face Purse Priest, the red-masked Gorma. The Blue Ranger leapt forward, passing over the Gorma while kicking him in the back.

Tenma Ranger twisted in midair and landed. He snapped into a fighting stance. "Tenma Ranger! Heaven Gravity Star, Blue!" he shouted boldly, trying to hide his fear.

"Gamaguchi Houshi!" the Gorma identified himself. "Head Crusher!" A bunch of red gourd-type masks flew from the pockets on his spine and jetted towards Tenma Ranger in different formations.

Two gourds slammed against the Ranger's chest with massive bursts of spark that knocked Tenma Ranger to the ground.

The Blue Ranger rose back to his feet, holding his injured right arm.

Purse Priest laughed at the Ranger. "You are so weak!"

"It always resorts to name calling…" Tenma Ranger said. He placed his left hand over his right fist. He gathered his energy as the Pegasus eyes on his helmet flashed blue. "Heaven Gravity Star! Gravity Inverting Destruction!"

He extended his hand, and a blue, jagged wave of gravity-inversing energy shot from his palm.

But the Purse Priest fired off one of his heads while shouting "Head Crusher!" The helmet intercepted the gravity blast and pummeled through it, creating sparks of feedback that exploded across the alley. The head exploded against Tenma Ranger and knocked him backward through the air.

Tenma Ranger slammed against a wall and crashed against a pile of crates.

* * *

Kimberly walked into the apartment she shared with her mother in Angel Grove South. The apartment was empty, which did not surprise Kimberly. Her mother was almost never home.

The communicator she wore under her sleeve began to beep. Billy had redistributed the devices to the teens after their first encounter with the Gorma.

_Here we go again_, she thought to herself.

* * *

Adam Park was working in a pet store at Angel Grove East. Most people mistook Adam as a tough guy. They confused his shyness with a stand-offish and egotistical attitude. Those that knew him understood how sensitive Adam really was.

He was feeding one of the caged animals when his communicator toned.

* * *

Billy sat in his garage lab in Angel Grove Central while writing a new computer program. Lines of code flashed across his screen as his fingers moved across the keyboard. His communicator toned.

* * *

The teens gathered around Kaku's platform in the lair. Rocky was pacing back and forth with a look of panic in his eyes. "The Gorma took Justin!" he practically shouted.

Adam stood with his arms across his chest. "Who's Justin?"

"He's a student of mine," Rocky said.

Kaku sighed. "I believe the Gorma took Justin to prepare for Eedoropudoro."

"Eedoropudoro?" Tommy asked.

"The Gorma's inauguration ceremony," Kaku clarified. "When they first took power 6,000 years ago, they gathered five children and sacrificed them to their god, the Great Beast of Hell named La Moghra, also called the Mogralord. I believe the Gorma are doing the same now."

The teens were shocked silent. Even Tommy, Billy, and Kimberly were shocked that the Gorma could be so evil.

"Just great," Rocky muttered under his breath as he slumped down against the platform.

Kimberly placed a hand on his shoulder sympathetically. "It'll be okay, Rocky. We'll find him."

"None of you must ever fight a Gorma alone," Kaku said firmly as he looked to each ranger. "All are needed. Now…search the city for Justin. When you find him, you will find the Gorma."

"Let's go," Tommy said as he and the others started to run off.

But Kaku put a hand on Rocky's shoulder to stop him before he could leave. "Stay a minute, Rocky."

Kaku led Rocky further down the lair into a wide room with metallic spheres hanging from the ceiling. A small television screen was on a nearby table.

Kaku walked towards the television as Rocky leaned against the doorway, his shoulders slumped down low. "I'm no good," he said. "I couldn't even save Justin. If you wanted someone to fight for the world you should have picked Jackie Chan or Jet Li or something."

Rocky shook his head. "Justin's always thought of me like a big brother. I'm practically the only family he has. He lost his parents. At about the same age I lost my father in a car accident. He's spent his whole life living at the shelter."

Kaku walked towards Rocky, placed a hand on his shoulder, and turned back towards the TV. Kaku used a small remote to turn on the television. It showed an image of Rocky as the Tenma Ranger getting clobbered by the Gorma he had faced earlier.

"Is this supposed to cheer me up?" Rocky asked sarcastically.

"Rocky," Kaku said. He turned off the television, but kept his eyes on the screen. "Do you know why you were beaten?"

"No, but I bet you're gonna tell me," Rocky said.

"It is not always a matter of how strong or weak you are," Kaku said. He looked to Rocky. "It is not always a matter of power versus power, but sometimes a matter of learning ways around power."

Kaku turned and started to walk from the room, but before he left, he faced the metal spheres and extended his hand while using his Ki to start the balls swinging around Rocky.

"Whoa!" Rocky shouted as two spheres slammed against him. He tried to dodge the other spheres as each started swinging in different directions at different intervals.

* * *

The other four teens split up along the city streets. Nearby, a young boy ran across a wooded path beneath a bridge. He played with a toy airplane and made propeller noises. He stopped in his tracks as he heard a bouncing sound come from behind him.

The boy turned and saw a basketball bouncing towards him. The ball shot forward and landed in the hands of the tall Japanese man. He smiled at the boy. "You won't be returning home today."

The man turned the ball into a red gourd mask and tossed the object forward. The boy screamed and ran. The gourd slammed against the child and enveloped his head.

* * *

Kimberly heard the boy scream while she walked nearby. She ran to the lower levels of the streets and saw the man duck around a corner with the boy over his shoulder. She ran towards them as fast as she could.

A hand reached out and grabbed her throat as she turned the corner.

* * *

Kaku had a small radio system on his platform that he used to communicate with the rangers. He received their latest transmission. "What? Kimberly's been kidnapped?"

* * *

Rocky ran to the walkway where Kimberly was last seen. He noticed a small shining object on the ground. Rocky leaned down and picked it up. It was an earring. "Kimberly…"

* * *

Rocky ran back up to street level. He saw a black sleek limo drive by and ducked for cover behind a bush. At first he wasn't sure why his instincts told him to hide. Then he saw who was in the limo. Gara was in the backseat.

"Gorma…" Rocky said as he followed the limo. The vehicle was moving towards a cruise ship docked at the nearby pier.

The limo drove over a docking ramp and entered the ship. Rocky stayed low and moved to the docks. His eyes scanned for a way inside. Guards blocked every main entrance.

Rocky activated his communicator and told Kaku about the Gorma and the ship.

"Rocky," Kaku told him. "Keep a low profile until the others arrive. They're on their way."

Rocky nodded. Then he remembered Kaku couldn't see him. "Okay," he answered.

Minutes later, Rocky was using the bars along the bottom of the docking bridge to climb towards the ship. Rocky hopped onto a lower deck on the ship and stayed low.

* * *

Kyonshi cleared a deck area within the ship. They set up a rectangular table on the deck and draped a white cloth over it. The soldiers pulled out chairs as the Gorma Triumvirate took their seats. Shadam was at the center of the table, with Gara and Zydos at his sides.

Another group of soldiers led in the five prisoners, each covered with red masks. Kimberly and Justin were among them. They sat in a row of chairs facing the Gorma's table.

Zydos stood tall and proud. He started leading the Gorma through a chant. "Eedoropudoro! Eedoropudoro!"

Shadam stood behind his fellow Gorma. "Quiet!" The chanting stopped. "6,000 years ago, we failed. Things will be different this time. We are already stronger, more powerful…nothing can stop us!"

Gara leaned back in her seat and smiled. "Yes…let us now begin. Let these five be the first to die at our hands during this new age."

A man in a dark hooded cloak and white mask stepped onto the deck. He slowly walked towards the prisoners. An aura of evil hung around him. He armed a scythe in his right hand and walked towards the first prisoner in line: Kimberly.

The Gorma started chanting again. Their voices echoed throughout the ship. A few decks below, Rocky was scurrying up the stairs as the chanting became louder.

Rocky made it up to a small corridor on the same deck as the Gorma, and he was ambushed by two Kyonshi. One soldier grabbed him from behind as the other swung its saber towards the ranger. Rocky kicked the soldier rushing towards him upside the head. He elbowed the Kyonshi behind him and flipped the soldier to the ground. Rocky bent down to the soldier and delivered a final blow to the Gorma's chest.

Back at the ceremony, Gara extended her hand. She wrapped an invisible strand of energy around Kimberly's chair and slowly dragged it forward. Gara nodded to the cloaked man, signaling him to begin.

The villain lifted his scythe to level with Kimberly's neck. He looked to the three Gorma. Shadam nodded, giving the villain his signal to make the first kill. The cloaked man pulled back his arms and prepared to strike.

Rocky arrived outside one of the room's windows and looked in. He saw the cloaked man start to swing the blade. "Stop!" he shouted as he leapt forward, extending his arms and legs to shatter through the window, shards of glass cutting across his skin.

The villain stalled his blade, distracted by Rocky's entrance. The Kyonshi turned and rushed towards Rocky.

Rocky landed against the ground hard and somersaulted forward, letting the momentum from his jump carry him. He rolled back to his feet while grabbing a soldier's wrist and flipping the Gorma over his shoulder.

The soldier dropped his sword, which Rocky lifted up before sidekicking a grunt in the face. Rocky hurled the blade forward. The sword crashed against the scythe, sparking on impact. The villain dropped the weapon and stumbled backward. He fell to the ground and stumbled out of his cloak. He was the red-masked Purse Priest.

Rocky disarmed another soldier and took its blade while moving forward. He swung the blade downward to parry a blow and slammed the handle of the weapon against a soldier's face while spinning closer to the prisoners.

He slashed the saber across a Kyonshi, the blade sparking as it ripped through the soldier, and jump kicked another soldier upside the head.

Rocky chopped the blade downward and cut the mask off Kimberly. Kimberly's vision blurred back into focus as Rocky pulled her to her feet and spun her out of the way while deflecting a soldier's saber and slashing that soldier away with a powerful upward strike.

They had no time to greet each other. Kyonshi surrounded them and closed in tight. A soldier swung its blade towards Kimberly. She sidestepped and knocked the soldier's arm away while stepping forward, slamming a palm-heel blow that crashed against the villain's chest.

"Stop them!" Shadam shouted with frustration.

Rocky ducked under a soldier's blade and slashed the villain across the chest while dashing past the Kyonshi. He spun forward while bringing his blade down in a diagonal swing that slashed another Kyonshi from his path.

Rocky stood in front of the kids and cut their masks off one-by-one. The kids rubbed their eyes as their vision blurred back into focus. "Rocky!" Justin shouted, fear in his eyes.

"Get out of here, now!" Rocky said to the kids. Justin led the children to the rear entrance of the room as Rocky held the Kyonshi at bay, his blade slicing through the Kyonshi flesh and cracking their bone.

A group of soldiers rushed towards Kimberly. Sensei Kaku had been teaching them how to use their Kiryoku during the past couple days. She put that practice to use.

"Ki!" she shouted as she extended her hand. An invisible burst of telekinetic energy slammed against the soldiers and sparked across their chests while knocking them backward.

Shadam, Gara, and Zydos knocked their chairs away. They teleported in front of the table in the blink of an eye. Gara and Zydos extended their hands and fired strands of energy that leashed around the rangers' necks. They pulled their hands backward, whipping the rangers off their feet and sending them stumbling forward.

Gara caught Kimberly by the throat and Zydos did the same with Rocky. Gara slapped Kimberly across the face twice and threw her backwards. Zydos did the same with Rocky. The two rangers slammed onto the long table, which crushed to the ground upon impact.

Shadam opened his jaws and spat a volley of blue fiery spheres that exploded around the rangers as they rolled for cover, the small shockwaves knocking them further backward. Shadam and the two Gorma stalked towards the rangers.

Before they could strike, three blurs of motion crashed through the windows and slammed against the deck. It was the other three Rangers, morphed and on their Thunder Cycles. The cycles slammed past soldiers and knocked against the Gorma Triumvirate. The three Gorma generals were knocked backward, and they blinked away to retreat.

The cycles pulled to a stop as the Rangers ran to their teammates. "Kim!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he helped Kimberly to her feet.

"I'm alright," she said.

Rocky armed his wrist morphers. Kimberly did the same.

"Chakra ignite!" they shouted. "Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around Rocky and Kimberly as they morphed into the blue-armored Tenma Ranger and the pink-armored Phoenix Ranger.

The Purse Priest stepped back at the sight of the five Rangers standing together. He needed more maneuvering room. "Run!" he shouted to the remaining Kyonshi. The Purse Priest and soldiers fled from the deck, left the ship by running down its ramp, and moved towards the main factory area of the docking port.

The Rangers leapt through the air in streaks of energy, passed above the Gorma, and landed on a crane. The Rangers looked down at their opponents and armed their Thunder Staffs.

"Power of the Stars, brought down!" Dragon Ranger shouted. Together, they twirled their staffs into fighting positions and shouted: "Heaven Star Task Force, Power Rangers!"

"You little bastards!" the Purse Priest shouted. He had one purpose: the ceremony. The ceremony that the Rangers interrupted. Even if he survived the battle with the Rangers, even if he killed all five, Shadam would not let the Purse Priest live.

Tenma Ranger pointed down to the Gorma. "We'll see who's weak this time, you reject from the WWF collection!"

"Let's go guys!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he leapt through the air while twirling his staff.

Dragon Ranger landed, smashed one end of his staff against a soldier's chest and the other end across its face.

A group of soldiers surrounded the Red Ranger and closed in. Dragon Ranger moved down low, swinging his staff in a circle while cracking against the soldiers' knees and knocking them to the ground.

A soldier moved in and swung its saber towards Dragon Ranger's faceplate. Dragon Ranger twisted his staff to block the blow smashed a backfist across the grunt's head.

The soldier stumbled backward, but Dragon Ranger pressed forward. He chopped the right end of his staff against the soldier's collar bone and smashed the left end of his staff across the Gorma's head.

Two soldiers held their swords high and leapt down from a nearby crate. Dragon Ranger extended his hand towards the soldiers. The dragon eyes on his helmet flashed as he shouted: "Fire Stream!"

A blast of fire poured from the Red Ranger's palm and splashed across the soldiers with bursts of spark that tore their bodies apart.

Nearby, six Kyonshi armed with short staffs charged towards the green-armored Lion Ranger. Lion Ranger placed his right fist against his left palm, and the lion eyes on his helmet flashed with pale-green light.

"Heaven Illusion Star…" Lion Ranger shouted. "Mist Concealment Destruction!" He extended his right and launched a torrent of fog that wrapped around the soldiers. The Kyonshi stopped in their tracks as the mist blocked their sight.

Lion Ranger extended his hands again and launched an illusion of a rushing train that throttled towards the soldiers. The train illusion crashed through the Kyonshi and knocked them off their feet.

Kirin Ranger stood in a defensive stance as three Kyonshi leapt through the air. The soldiers chopped downward across the Ranger's armor while landing, knocking the Yellow Ranger onto the ground.

Kirin Ranger slammed his fist against the ground with frustration and rose back to his feet. He slapped his right fist against his left palm, and the kirin eyes on his helmet flashed yellow. "Heaven Time Star! Time Reversal Destruction!"

A time distortion bubble surrounded Kirin Ranger and the soldiers. Within that bubble, time rewound by several seconds. The bubble dissipated, and the three Kyonshi were leaping down from the air towards the Ranger again.

"Thunder Blaster!" Kirin Ranger fired lances of yellow energy that exploded against the soldiers with a shower of sparks that knocked them from the air.

Meanwhile, Phoenix Ranger leapt through the air towards a group of six Kyonshi.

"Cyclone!" she shouted while extending her hand. A whirling vortex of pink energy whirled around the Kyonshi, slamming them against each other and spitting them out to the ground.

Nearby, Tenma Ranger somersaulted across the ground with his Thunder Staff and rose to a defensive stance while facing Purse Priest.

The Gorma laughed at the Ranger. "Don't you remember what happened last time, Tenma Ranger! Head Crusher!"

The villain launched a volley of red heads that swerved through the air and streaked towards the Blue Ranger.

Tenma Ranger stood firm, remembering what Kaku had taught him. _"It is not always a matter of power versus power, but sometimes a matter of learning ways around power…"_

Tenma Ranger placed his left palm over his right fist and closed his eyes beneath his helmet.

"Ki!" he said firmly as the unicorn eyes on his helmet flashed. He sensed the approaching objects. He kept his back straight as he dodged each blow with ease. The red heads swerved past him, each one missing its mark by inches.

"What?!" Purse Priest shouted as his attack ended without scoring a single hit. "Impossible!"

"No need to get red in the face about it," Tenma Ranger said. He snapped into a fighting stance and charged towards the Gorma.

"Tenma Flash Kick!" he shouted as he launched at the monster with a flurry of energized tornado kicks. Each kick slammed against the Gorma with a streak of blue energy. Each kick forced the Gorma a step backward.

The last kick in his combo knocked the villain off his feet and sent him tumbling across the ground. Tenma Ranger waited for the monster to rise before extending his hand and shouting "Gravity Pulse!"

A blue, jagged wave of energy shot from his hand and exploded against the side of the Gorma, ripping half his body while blowing the villain off his feet, steam rising from his wounds.

The other Rangers regrouped with Tenma Ranger just as Purse Priest began to stumble back to his feet. The Gorma's body was practically torn to shreds. His mask was torn, revealing the Gorma third eye. "You'll pay for that!" he shouted while he pulled out an enlarging bomb.

"Thunder Staffs!" Dragon Ranger shouted. The five Rangers armed their staffs and tossed the weapons forward like spears. The staffs caged in the warrior and pinned his arm, preventing him from arming the bomb.

"Let's bomb him," Dragon Ranger said as the Rangers scattered into formation. Kaku had taught them a new technique.

The Rangers extended their hands into the air. Streaks of cyan energy formed spheres between their palms. They lowered the spheres to their chests. "Bomber, set."

"Kiryoku!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

"Bomber!" they shouted together as they thrust the spheres forward. The energy spheres combined into a single golden energy blast that tore through the Gorma with a massive burst of flames, which consumed his body. The shockwave knocked the staffs back into the Rangers' hands.

* * *

The next day, Justin rode through the city on his bike as Rocky jogged behind him. Kimberly spotted them and waved him over. "Rocky…"

"Hey Kimberly," Rocky said with a smile as he walked over to her.

"I thought he was your student?"

Rocky shrugged. "Try telling him that…by the way…" Rocky dug through his pocket. He handed her the earring. "I'm assuming this is yours…it's not quite Adam's style."

Kimberly smiled. "Thank you."

"Let's go, Rocky!" Justin yelled.

Rocky backed up and jogged after Justin. "Well, gotta go. Later!" _Huh_, he thought. _Maybe I'm not so bad at this super hero thing after all_.

**To be continued…**


	3. Soul Stealer

**Soul Stealer**

A man dressed in black roller-bladed down the night-lit suburbs of Angel Grove. The subdivision he rode through was dotted with trees and high-cost homes with brick-wrapped frontage. The man wore chains of keys all along his body, and he wore a black hat over his head.

The man, Kagi Dokeshi, the "Key Jester," spotted a home with its upstairs window open. He could sense someone sleeping inside. A sly grin crossed his face.

* * *

An unnatural breeze blew in from the boy's bedroom window. The young boy, Sam, was asleep with his bed next to the window. The Key Jester appeared in the shadows above the boy and waved a hand over the child's chest.

The strange man whispered to himself. "Secret doors that can't be opened. Keys that can." He pulled a key from his chain, a glimmer of insanity in his eyes as he looked down at the boy. "This is a key. I have lots of keys. This key might be the one to open your soul's door."

Sam's eyes opened when he noticed the Key Jester waving a key over the bed. The boy shrieked, his face pale with horror.

The Key Jester laughed. Energy seeped from Sam's chest and into the key as his soul was stripped from his body.

The Key Jester blinked away.

Sam's sister Kelly burst into the room. Only a few years older at age 10, Kelly was extremely overprotective of her younger brother. "Sam," she said as she tried to shake him. His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. "Sam!"

* * *

Adam was working at the pet store in Angel Grove East the next afternoon. He finished caging a small parrot when the store door opened, the swinging bells above jingling. Kelly walked into the store.

The girl was a frequent visitor of the small shop. She loved animals and wanted a pet of her own, but her parents would not allow it. Adam often let her hang out at the pet store and keep the animals company.

Kelly rushed over to the counter. Her face was white with panic. "Adam, you have to come with me! It's Sam. He's hurt, and the doctor's don't know what's wrong!"

"Where are your parents?" Adam asked in a calm voice, hoping the calm would get Kelly to settle down some.

Kelly shook her head. "They're gone. They left for a few days. I was supposed to watch Sam…when they find out what happened…" Tears swelled up in her eyes. "They'll be so mad. I'm scared."

Adam narrowed his eyes. Kelly was scared. Adam had a feeling it was as much fear for what her parents would do to her as fear for her younger brother.

* * *

Billy sat in his garage lab the next morning. He used his equipment to analyze the Aura Morphers Kaku had given him. "Fascinating…" he said as he looked over the readings. "The Aura Bracers don't seem to have a power source of their own. They're designed to focus the natural energy of the wearer."

Billy checked his watch. He was late to meet Rocky. The newest Blue Ranger wanted to meet and talk. Billy was not sure what Rocky wanted to talk about but suspected it had a few things to do with Rangers and Gorma.

* * *

Rocky and Billy walked across the western outskirts of Angel Grove Central. That part of the city was a mix of commercial retailers and neighborhood business, as well as starter homes on small lots.

"So what is this about?" Billy asked as they walked along a curb.

Rocky shrugged, his gaze low. He was obviously embarrassed about something. "I don't know exactly…you seem to know the most about what's going on. Rangers, Gorma…I kinda wanted a few straight answers. Sensei is always…vague."

Billy grinned. Kaku had taught them a lot about focusing and using their Kiryoku, but other than that, the sensei provided few pieces of fact.

Rocky sighed. "I want to know what exactly we're fight for. The bigger picture. I mean, I know we save lives, and that's why I accepted Sensei's offer to become a Ranger…but this whole thing seems…bigger."

They were unaware of something following them as they walked and spoke. The door of a car parked nearby opened. Something climbed inside. The car's engine turned over and came to life. The car sped forward, tires screeching across the pavement.

Rocky and Billy looked over their shoulders as the car sped towards them. Rocky and Billy sprinted to the side and ducked down an alley. The car made a sharp turn and swerved after them. The car came inches away from them.

The teens took three hopping steps up the wall to avoid getting hit. The car screeched its tires and skid to a halt as the rangers landed back on the pavement.

"They'll give anyone a license these days," Rocky said as the car screeched back in reverse.

Rocky hopped up the wall and Billy dove to the side. Billy went crashing into a pile of trash and got stuck with his upper body in an empty garbage can. The car slammed on its brakes. Rocky landed on the pavement and sprinted towards the car.

"That's it," Rocky said with frustration as he ran to the driver's side door. "Could I see your license and registration please?"

Rocky whipped the car door open. A small gnomish doll sat in the driver's seat. The doll turned its head and started laughing at Rocky. The teen dropped his jaw. "Chucky?!"

"You think I'm a doll, huh?" the doll said mockingly.

The doll pounced forward onto Rocky's face and bit his nose. Rocky stumbled backward and swatted the doll from his face. The gnome tumbled across the ground on impact and scurried away on its short, stubby legs.

Billy removed himself from the trash pile and finally stood, not having seen a thing.

* * *

The Key Jester roller-bladed back and forth at an empty amphitheater in University Park. The Gorma Triumvirate teleported onto the steps, blinking into visibility as they walked towards the Gorma underling. They did not look pleased. The Key Jester tried to hide his fear as he pulled to stop near them.

"What are you up to?" Zydos asked with anger glaring in his eyes.

"You are supposed to be collecting the souls," Gara said before the Key Jester could answer. "Not turning them loose in dolls."

Shadam nodded. "The Rangers should be left out of this for know. They can not find out until it is too late."

Gara took a step closer to him. "Do you understand?" she asked with venom in her voice.

The Key Jester swallowed the clump in his throat. "I understand."

* * *

"What do you mean you can't help her?" Adam pleaded with his Dad. Detective Trevor Park sat behind his desk at the Angel Grove Third Precinct office. Adam stood in front of the desk, his body rigid with anger.

Adam and his father rarely got along. Detective Park accused Adam of being a slacker, too busy "playing" with martial arts and daydreaming away his days at the pet store to focus on what really mattered: academics and extracurricular actives. After all, Detective Park had been captain of the football team and a 4.0 student during his high school years.

Detective Park sighed and sat back in his chair. "Son, I really don't have time for this."

"No," Adam said firmly. "Not this time. You listen. I'm telling you, this girl's parents just left her and her little brother home alone for days. I think they're abusive."

"Son," Detective Park said. "I need a little more to go on than some of your paranoid fantasies. I have a job to do here. I don't have time for this."

Adam narrowed his eyes. "What else is new…" he said beneath his breath. He turned and left the office, slamming the door on his way out.

* * *

Adam left his Dad's office, his head hung low in defeat. He had never gotten along with his father. But Adam still could not believe his request for help was refused. He met with Kelly on a bench near his pet store. The girl was explaining about a fight she had gotten into with Sam the day before the incident where he became unconscious.

"He ran out into the street?" Adam asked.

She sighed with guilt. "He got mad at me."

"Why?" Adam asked.

Kelly was silent. Her head hung low. "Kids are always making fun of him," she said. "That's why he gets upset so easily."

Adam nodded. "I understand. Kids used to make fun of me all the time when I was younger…they still do sometimes."

Kelly looked up to the teen. "How do you put up with it?"

"Well," Adam said with a sigh. The shy teen rarely liked to talk about his own feelings. "There was this Chinese guy I knew, Master Mao, who owned a plant shop down the street from my house. I talked to him a lot, and one day he offered to teach me martial arts. The Kukishin style. It gave me a lot of confidence. For a while I even enrolled at this martial arts school called the Ikkazuchi Way…but it didn't work out."

Kelly sighed and nodded. "Sam might like that." She almost started crying. "Oh Adam, this is all my fault. My parents are on a business trip and I was supposed to look out for him. Now look what happened."

They both heard a boy scream nearby. Adam was on his feet and running in less than a second. He didn't think to tell Kelly not to follow him. They moved to a path that ran underneath a pedestrian bridge.

The Key Jester was in his monster form, a slender gray body with key-motif armor. The creature had a single eye, which was the Gorma trademark. He was leaning over a boy and had just sucked out his soul.

"Gorma!" Adam shouted.

The Key Jester took one glance at the ranger before turning and running away.

"Stop!" Adam shouted as he started to run after the monster. But a dozen dolls dropped from the bridge on ropes, some with knives. The dolls swung onto Adam and Kelly and started attacking. Biting. Clawing. Laughing with child-like madness.

Two of the dolls bashed Kelly against the brick base of the bridge and started to tie her up with rope.

Adam ripped a doll from the back of his head, threw the doll hard against the ground, and ran to help Kelly. He pulled the dolls from her and threw them hard against the brick bridge, his brow knitted with anger and annoyance at the small critters.

"Bye bye!" the dolls shouted in high-pitched, mocking voices. The dolls regrouped and scattered down the alley. Adam followed. Again, he forgot to make sure that Kelly stayed behind. She ran after him.

* * *

Adam tracked the dolls back to a warehouse yard filled with iron bridges spanning above, dirt ground, piles of crates, and cranes. Kelly was at his heels. They ducked behind a large crate. Adam looked back to her. "You stay here."

"No," Kelly said, grasping onto his shirt.

Adam sighed. He didn't have time to argue. He didn't plan on starting a fight anyway. He wanted to get information and report back to Sensei and the others. "Alright. But keep quiet."

The two snuck into the warehouse. Tall stacks of crates were arranged like walls in a U-shaped pattern. The Gorma was in his human form within those walls. Dolls wrestled against each other while in the crates. Others laughed and muttered jokes. Adam and Kelly stayed low while watching the Gorma through planks of wood and broken crates.

The Key Jester lifted an unmoving doll. "How beautiful," he said to the doll. Adam could tell the Gorma was clearly insane. The villain reached into his pocket and pulled out a shining sphere of golden energy. It was a soul.

Adam rolled his hands into fists and narrowed his eyes. "What is this…" he said under his breath.

The soul thinned into a line and slid into the doll's mouth. The doll's eyes snapped open. High-pitched maddening laughter erupted from its lips. The Gorma stepped out of sight, the villain's body hidden from view.

Kelly gasped and took a step back when the Key Jester poked his head up between planks and stared at her with eyes wide open.

Adam grabbed Kelly by the wrist and turned to run. A fanged doll descended from the air to block the teen's path, but Adam backhanded the doll from the air with ease.

The Key Jester used both hands to lift a cylinder-shaped bin from the ground. He hurled the bin at the running ranger's back. Adam grabbed Kelly and dove to the side, rolling out of harm's way as the bin crashed against a pile of crates.

Adam rolled onto his knees and looked up. The Key Jester stalked towards the ranger.

"It wasn't very nice of you to intrude on our fun," the villain said.

"Gorma," Adam cursed as he stood, keeping himself between Kelly and the villain. "What are you up to?"

"Collecting souls," the Key Jester said matter-of-factly. "I would love to add you two to my collection."

"I don't think so!" Adam shouted as he charged forward to attack.

Adam snapped a round kick that Key Jester blocked while sidestepping. The Gorma lunged forward and wrapped his hands around Adam's throat. Key Jester pulled Adam in a circle, trying to knock the ranger off his feet. But Adam stood his ground.

The Key Jester slammed a round kick against Adam's side, smashing against the teen's ribs. The Gorma kicked again before lifting the ranger and tossing him through the air. Adam crashed against the ground and stumbled across the concrete floor.

Key Jester's body rippled as he transformed into his monster form, plates of armor growing from beneath his skin with mystical surges of dark Chi energy.

Adam sprang to his feet and leapt through the air. The ranger kicked the monster on the back while jumping over him. "Chakra ignite!" Adam shouted as he connected his bracers. Pale green light enveloped him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Lion Ranger snapped into a defensive stance. Key Jester glared at the Green Ranger. "If you were smart, you'd give up now. You're spoiling my fun." The monster thrust his hand forward. "Sting Blades!"

The villain shot several key-shaped blades that sparked across Lion Ranger while slashing across his armor. The impact slammed Lion Ranger backward through a pile of crates.

Lion Ranger slowly pulled himself up from beneath the fallen crates. He rose to his feet as Key Jester charged forward, the villain's helmet-mounted pincers snapping away like scissors.

Lion Ranger rolled underneath the pincers, which tore through a support beam. The tower crashed against the ground. Lion Ranger hopped backward to avoid getting slammed by the structure.

The Key Jester turned to another support tower and slashed through its support beams. The tower tumbled down towards Lion Ranger. The Green Ranger rolled across the ground to avoid the falling structure.

The Gorma leapt on top of Lion Ranger and lifted him by the neck. Key Jester slammed a punch against the Ranger's chest while releasing his grasp. Lion Ranger went flying backward and crashed through a wall. Green Ranger went stumbling across the ground outside near a line of railing.

A story-long drop was on the other side of the railing, leading to a lower level of the construction/factory yard area.

Lion Ranger rose to his feet. Key Jester charged forward with a jagged key-type sword in hand. The Gorma swung hard towards the Ranger's neck. Lion Ranger rolled underneath the slash and back onto his feet behind the Gorma.

Key Jester twisted backward to swing his saber towards the Ranger's head. Lion Ranger blocked the blow with his right arm. He spun to his right, ducking beneath the blade. Key Jester twisted the sword back around, swinging upward towards the Ranger. Lion Ranger blocked the blow and slammed the back of his fist across the Gorma's head, bashing in the side of the villain's helmet.

Lion Ranger pressed forward with another backfist blow, but Key Jester grabbed the Ranger's wrist. Key Jester kicked the legs out from under Lion Ranger while slamming a punch against his chest. Lion Ranger crashed back-first onto the ground but rolled back into a crouched position. Lion Ranger sprang forward, leaping through the air towards his opponent with a flying sidekick.

Key Jester caught the kick and swung Lion Ranger overhead before slamming him onto the ground, concrete cracking upon impact.

Lion Ranger rose to his feet, leaning against the railing for support. Key Jester pounced at the Ranger and started swinging the jagged blade. Lion Ranger sidestepped the first blow, but the second strike slashed across his chest armor.

Below, Kelly screamed as a group of Kyonshi chased her. Lion Ranger looked down to her. Key Jester took advantage of the Ranger's distraction. The Gorma chopped his blade against the Ranger's collar bone and pinned him against the railing.

"Kelly!" Lion Ranger shouted down to her.

The Green Ranger activated his communicator. "Guys! It's the Gorma!"

* * *

Kaku heard Lion Ranger's signal. He activated the comm system and spoke into a small remote speaker. "Tommy, Rocky, Billy, Kimberly…"

* * *

Kelly screamed as she ran from the Kyonshi. She fell over her own feet and stumbled to the ground. The soldiers grabbed her and lifted her from the ground.

Lion Ranger used both hands to knock the Gorma's weapon away, elbowed the villain, and jumped over the railing towards the ground to get to Kelly.

Lion Ranger dashed towards Kelly and through the soldiers. He spun past a grunt while knife handing the soldier in the back.

The Green Ranger approached another soldier armed with a staff. Lion Ranger low blocked a swing from the staff and swung the same arm up for a backfist strike across the soldier's head. Lion Ranger turned to his right and blocked another staff before swinging his leg in an outer crescent kick that smashed across the soldier's head.

Lion Ranger kept pushing forward. He rolled across a soldier's back, landed, and slammed a backfist against the grunt's face. Green Ranger turned to his left and smashed his fist against the face of a grunt that had moved too close.

A soldier chopped its staff towards Lion Ranger's neck. Lion Ranger caught the weapon inches above his shoulders. Green Ranger flipped the staff backward, slamming upside its holder's head and twirling through the air to smack against a second soldier.

Green Ranger dashed forward and moved in low, swiping the legs out from under a soldier. He rose back up, low blocking a staff strike and chopping a knifehand blow against the soldier's neck.

Lion Ranger dashed closer to Kelly, but a group of four soldier extended their staffs and blocked the Ranger's path.

Lion Ranger held onto a staff while outer crescent kicking its holder across the head. The grunt fell backward, and Lion Ranger swung the staff, spinning forward while bashing the weapon across a soldier's head. Lion Ranger chopped the staff down on the fallen soldier's chest.

Lion Ranger tossed the staff away and ran towards Kelly's side. He helped the girl to her feet. Several meters behind the Ranger, the Gorma Triumvirate blinked into view.

Shadam and Zydos extended their hands and fired streams of energy from their palms. The energy streams wrapped around the Ranger's neck and reeled him in towards the villains.

Gara caught Lion Ranger in a choke hold. She slapped the back of her hand against the Ranger's helmet twice. She kicked the legs out from under him and spun him around by the neck. She released her grasp, and Lion Ranger went stumbling across the ground to the feet of Zydos.

Zydos kicked the Ranger upside the head. Lion Ranger flipped backward, skidding across the ground as his body went limp. Shadam opened his jaw and spat fiery spheres of blue energy that exploded against the Ranger's chest with a burst of sparks, knocking the Green Ranger backward.

Lion Ranger slowly rose to his feet. Several Kyonshi rushed past him, slashing their sabers across his armor. Another group of soldiers surrounded Lion Ranger and used their staffs to hold him by the neck.

On the ledge above, Key Jester was holding Kelly by the back of her neck. "Look, Ranger!" the villain shouted.

"Kelly!" Lion Ranger shouted. He struggled to break free from the staffs.

Key Jester pulled a small key from his belt and waved it across Kelly's chest. "Now it is time to add another soul to my collection."

"Stop!" Lion Ranger shouted. But it was too late. The Key Jester used his key to drain Kelly's soul with a stream of yellow light.

"You want her so bad!" the Gorma shouted. He tossed the girl's limp body over the railing. "Here!"

Lion Ranger knocked the Kyonshi away with renewed strength, his arms bashing them backward with a wide swing. Lion Ranger sprang forward through the air and caught the girl. He gently laid Kelly on the ground while grabbing her by the shoulders. "Kelly…Kelly!"

The other teens arrived at the scene and ran towards Lion Ranger. The Gorma monster laughed as he blurred out of sight, teleporting away along with the Gorma triumvirate and Kyonshi.

Adam powered down his armor. He snapped to his feet and turned to the rangers, narrowing his eyes at them. "Where the hell were you when I needed you!"

* * *

The five rangers stood in the lair as Kaku paced back and forth. The sensei was agitated with his charges.

"I thought you would all work together on this when Rocky was first attacked. I didn't think I had to say anything." He stopped and looked across the rangers' faces, making eye contact with each of them. "You cannot fight them alone. You have to believe in each other. Trust in each other. The Gorma believe you are nothing but little children. Just one mistake at the wrong time, and you'll be gutted. Who will save the world then?"

Rocky shook his head. "Not all of us are good enough at this yet," Rocky said. "I have the bruises to prove it."

Kaku's anger faded into disappointment. He looked to each of the rangers: Rocky, who hid his fear and doubt behind a wall of sarcasm and jokes. Tommy, burdened with guilt over the death of Shannon and his past as the Green Ranger. Billy, obsessed with analyzing but not understanding. Adam, withdrawn from the world and filled with an inner anger that caused him to project the doubt of himself onto others. Kimberly, the heart of the group only when she could draw comfort from it herself.

Kaku turned and left the lair without saying another word.

* * *

Tommy sat at his school desk in Advanced Algebra the next day. On most days, school was more surreal for him than being a Ranger in the battle field. It was almost like school did not fit into the story of his life.

Tommy's mind was fixed on the look Sensei had given them. The look of disappointment. The lecture.

The teacher was rambling on about a few x's and y's. His chalk was screeching across the board with every line. Tommy sighed and slumped down in his chair. Too much was going on. He did not have time for equations.

"Tommy Oliver," the teacher said. He put his hands on his waist and stalked towards Tommy's desk. "Are you listening?"

Tommy shook his head. "Not really."

The teacher's face turned red. "Principal. Now."

* * *

Rocky and Billy got together after school at Carnival Café in the city. The café window looked out on a street of three-story businesses and apartment complexes. The area wrapped around a small amusement park.

Rocky slouched on his elbows, leaning forward in his booth. He was looking out the window with a glass of coke in his hand. "I've been worrying about the kids all day."

Billy nodded. "I'm just not sure if there's anything we can do."

Rocky sighed. "Well aren't we a cheerful bunch."

"It could be worse," Billy said.

"You're right," Rocky said. "There could be killer Tele-Tubbies."

Something outside caught their attention. Their eyes opened wide. A teddy-bear doll was riding across the sidewalk on a skateboard. The doll laughed with a high-pitched squeal.

"One of our little friends…" Rocky said as he and Billy rose to their feet. The teddy bear looked at them and flicked them off. Rocky narrowed his eyes. "Why that little…"

The two rangers rushed outside the café. They skid to a halt when they saw the street around them. They could hardly believe their eyes. Dozens of dolls were wreaking havoc around the block.

Dolls forced outdoor café patrons to hand over their food. The amusement park was taken over by the rampaging toys. The dolls mostly used knifes as weapons. One of the gnomish dolls had a gun.

Rocky and Billy ran against a wave of fleeing civilians and entered the amusement park.

"Knock it off, Gorma!" Rocky shouted.

The gnome doll fired its weapon. Billy and Rocky dove to opposite sides as bullets shot against the ground.

* * *

Rocky and Billy could not control the dolls alone. They needed help. They entered the city subway system and darted underground towards the lair. The teens entered the lair to find Adam and Kaku sitting in meditative poses.

Rocky arced an eyebrow. "Did I miss yoga practice?" he asked sarcastically.

Sensei and Adam said nothing. They heard the door to the outer-room stairwell open and close. The door to the lair swung open as Tommy and Kimberly entered.

"Sit down," Kaku said to them while keeping his eyes closed.

Tommy was confused. "Guys…what are you doing here? Those dolls are going crazy in the city."

Sensei kept his eyes closed. "You can't kill them yet, so sit down and listen. Concentrate…You will find a way to win, but for now…sit."

The four teens gathered around Kaku and sat in meditative poses, crossing their legs and closing their eyes.

"Focus," Kaku said to them as they closed their eyes. "Reach inside of yourselves and draw on your Ki."

The five rangers took deep breaths and reached inside themselves. The lair started to vibrate with power. The hovering green sphere shimmered with jade energy. Dishes started to shake. Radio equipment started squealing with feedback.

Through their minds' eyes, a flash of white light nearly blinded them as their astral forms left their bodies and emerged on the barren surface of a China desert. Light fog drifted around them.

"China," Sensei said, "and what remains of the once great Daos civilization."

The fog lifted and images started to unfold.

_Huts of stone, mud, and wood lined the mountainside, wrapping around a wide stone valley. The Daos temple was at the base of the valley. Two giant stone statues stood at the sides of the temple entrance. Each statue resembled a Chinese priest with its eyes closed and hands folded. _

_Natives moved across the valley, some in bright garments woven from shining fabrics, and others in brown baggy clothes. Some of them fetched pales of water while others painted on leather canvas. On the mountainside opposite the temple, a theater troupe performed a reenactment of the birth of the world._

_On the mountainside itself, several outcroppings were equipped with wooden tubes of magick and mirrors. Each tube allowed viewers to look out into the stars at night or up close to the clouds at day. _

"The Daos were a highly advanced and artistic people," Kaku said. "At their peak, in 6000 BC, they numbered 200,000 strong. There were three tribes that made up the Daos: Members of the Dai tribe were the policy makers, the Shura had no Ki power and were commoners, and then there was the military arm called the Gorma. All tribes lived peacefully for years…that was until 4000 BC, when the Gorma were corrupted by their own power…"

_In the center of the Daos civilization, a large stone palace towered above the highest hills. It was the palace of the Dai tribe, the ruling body of the civilization._

_A large group of dark-armored Gorma warriors marched towards the gate, some on foot and some on sleek black horses. The horses' manes were colored purple. The warriors' armor was a mix of leathery and metal plating. _

_Each warrior wore a mask of wood over their face, only because they were in the presence of their emperor. They would have insulted him to show their faces otherwise. _

_Takimura, the 14th emperor of the Gorma, floated on a stone pedestal while dressed in white and red robes, contrasting the rest of his men. His face was painted white. Behind him, his most prized warrior Matoi fidgeted._

"_What troubles you, Matoi?" Takimura asked._

_Matoi adjusted his mask. "Nothing, my lord."_

_The emperor laughed, a sound of insanity Matoi was growing sick of. "You are lying to me."_

"_May I speak freely?" Matoi asked._

_Takimura grinned and shrugged._

_Matoi sighed. "It is we who should be ruling the Dai…they are pathetic, and their Kiryoku is inferior to ours."_

"_They have a different style," the emperor said. He still carried a grin on his face. _

"_An inferior one," Matoi said._

_The emperor shook his head and chuckled. "It has been this way for centuries."_

_Matoi shook his head as the group continued walking towards the palace. He narrowed his eyes at the commoners gathering around them to watch. He rolled his hands into fists._

* * *

_The bulk of the emperor's army waited outside as Matoi, the Gorma chief of staff, and the emperor himself entered the large council chambers where the ruling members of the Dai sat. The council sat behind a large, U-shaped table beneath colorful banners and flags that hung from the ceiling. _

_When Matoi saw that they were wearing no masks, he became angry and raised his voice at them. "How dare you look upon the emperor unmasked?!" Matoi shouted. "Where is your respect!"_

"_Silence!" the leader of the Dai council shouted._

"_Excuse my subordinate," the emperor said while placing a hand on his subject's shoulder. "He is very…loyal to me."_

"_I can see that," the Dai leader said. He wore blood-red garments and had a black beard. "Now let us begin with the matter at hand. As you know, the hunting and gathering tribes to the north, the savages, have not attacked our civilization for 200 years, since the end of the Onslaught, when the savages joined forces to attack our people. So after much deliberation…the council has decided that the services of the Gorma will no longer be needed."_

"_What?!" Matoi shouted. "How dare you…"_

_The emperor glared at Matoi, a non spoken command for him to be silent._

"_You can continue to practice your," the leader hesitated while searching for the right phrase. "Way of life, but you will no longer be given any recognition by this governing body or any of our resources."_

_Matoi glared at the leader of the Dai while the emperor simply nodded and said, "very well…"_

_The emperor and his men began to leave the chambers, but Matoi stayed behind and didn't take his eyes off of the leader of the council._

"_Matoi," the emperor called for him. "Come."_

_Matoi spat on the ground and left._

* * *

_Matoi sat alone in his dark chambers. He pulled an old dusty book out from under his bed. The book was bound in brown leather. A red skull with a black star for an eye was carved onto the cover. He placed the book on his desk and opened it._

_He grinned to himself as he flipped through the pages. "The time is now…" he said. "With this book, I will unleash the powers of our ancestors…and then I will be able to put the Dai in their place."_

"_Planning to rebel are we?" a voice said from the shadows._

_Matoi snapped around. "Who's there?"_

_The figure stepped out from the shadows. It was one of the emperor's youngest soldiers. His name was Shadam._

"_You?" Matoi laughed. "Get out of here before I incinerate you."_

_Shadam laughed. "Very well…I suppose I could pay a visit to our emperor. I'm sure he'd be interested to know about your little book…"_

_Matoi laughed. "You should learn some respect, young one."_

_Matoi extended his hand and blasted Shadam with a bolt of crimson energy. Shadam fell to the ground, banging his head on the stone._

_Matoi walked over to the fallen soldier. Matoi extended his hand towards Shadam's face. His hand began to radiate with energy. "I should kill you for your insolence…however…you may be of use to me…"_

_Shadam wrinkled his brow._

_Matoi laughed again. "Such anger in you…oh excellent. I can use that…"_

"_What are you talking about, fool?" Shadam asked._

"_You dare to talk that way to your future emperor?" Matoi laughed maniacally._

* * *

_Later that night, Matoi sat within a ring of his own blood with the book open on his lap. The book had belonged to an ancient cult called the Ka'zuul, which worshipped an evil spirit known as DaiSatan. _

_In the early age of the Daos civilization, a member of the Shura named Meduya had stumbled upon the book and used its power to become a warlock that summoned minor demons and spirits to his bidding. The Gorma had slain Meduya and taken the book, which was deemed too dangerous to exist. _

_The Gorma tried to destroy the book, but it withstood even fire. The Dai feared that someone would stumble upon the book if it was simply cast away, so they entrusted its care to the Gorma Tribe to serve as its guardian and ensure its pages were never opened again. _

_Matoi's family was picked to guard the book, and it was passed along his bloodline from generation to generation. _

_Matoi couldn't read the symbols in the book but found he was compelled to speak the words. He reached out with his Kiryoku to speak with this deity called DaiSatan, but he felt nothing. Instead, his mind was drawn to a great lake of fire and a massive beast that lived within its flames. The Great Beast of Hell known as the Mogralord. _

_The Great Beast of Hell stirred, and Matoi was awestruck by the creature's power. Matoi pleaded with the Mogralord for strength, and the Great Beast of Hell answered the call._

"_I will make the Gorma my eyes on the mortal plane. And I will teach you new ways to strengthen this Life Force that courses through your veins. This Kiryoku. Through the suffering and despair of others, the flow of Life Force within you will churn into Rinki, power that is born from a heart of hatred and anger. In return, you will spread carnage across the mortal plane, and the slain souls of the damned will be mine to toy with."_

_Matoi screamed as he felt his Kiryoku ignite within his veins. His own suffering seemed to strengthen him, and he felt a rip open on his forehead, where a third eye emerged. _

* * *

"Matoi killed Takimura and became emperor of the Gorma, and Shadam became the emperor's right-hand general," Kaku explained. "The Gorma used their dark Kiryoku, their Rinki, to turn themselves into monstrosities. They showed no mercy and sought only to destroy, and they devoured nature."

Fog shifted around the five rangers. The fog fell back, layering across a new image like a blanket before dissipating. The rangers found themselves in the upper level of a wooden tower that extended from the temple.

"Members of the Dai and Shura tribes retreated to this chamber, because they believed their gods lived here," Kaku explained. "The Gorma could not enter this place. It was from here that the Dai launched their first counter-attack against the Gorma."

The teens watched the conflict rage across their eyes with flashes of violence and screams. Blades clashed against blades. Kiryoku blasts tore through flesh. Mountainsides crumbled. Entire villages were demolished.

"It was a ruthless and bloody battle that lasted far too long," Kaku said. "The 500 Year War. In the end, both tribes wiped each other out. Only a few members of the Dai tribe and Shura tribe remained. Before the war ended, I managed to retrieve Ryuseiou and escape."

Kimberly crossed her arms over her chest as a chill crept down her spine. "How horrible."

Kaku nodded. "The Shura scattered the Earth, but the last of the Dai tribe remained in China. Three survivors of the Dai tribe became the Three Culture Heroes of Chinese legend, the first to bring civilization to the rest of the country, around 2800 BC," Kaku explained. "They were followed by the Three Sage Kings, also survivors of the Dai tribe. These Sage Kings were said to rule with perfect clarity, wisdom, and virtue from 2350 to 2205 BC."

"Fascinating," Billy whispered.

Tommy tilted his head as he noticed five dust-covered paintings on the wall besides them. He moved over to the center painting and reached up towards it. He brushed off a part of the painting's dust. "Guys, come look at this…" he finished dusting off the picture. It was a Chinese dragon. "It looks like the Red Dragon."

The others moved towards the four remaining paintings.

Adam brushed the dust off his painting. "It's a lion…"

Billy did the same. "A kirin…"

"It's my tenma…" Rocky said as he dusted off the painting. "A pegasus."

"A phoenix…" Kimberly said when she uncovered her painting. She looked back to Sensei. "What does this mean?"

"The Kidenjuu came to fight against the Gorma in the middle of the war. The five members of the Dai tribe that could control them became the Gosei Sentai Dairanger," Kaku said

"There are more than Ryuseiou?" Tommy asked.

Kaku nodded. Fog drifted around them again as the scene vaporized around them. The fog shifted and laid back into the profile of a city rooftop, and the streets spread out several stories below.

An image of a post-apocalyptic Angel Grove appeared beneath them. The streets were torn. Flames dotted the landscape. Kyonshi led citizens through the streets by chains. Adam saw Kelly and Sam among the chained.

"This is what will happen if you fail," Kaku said.

* * *

The teens ran through the city streets. Having returned to their bodies, they rushed to protect the city and face the Gorma with renewed determination. The dolls were descending upon the people like bugs, spread across several blocks.

The teens skid to halt in the midst of the chaos. The four rangers stood on either side of Tommy. "Let's split up."

The teens broke up and ran into the crowds. Tommy leapt through the air while trying to grab a doll, but it slipped through his grasp. Rocky and Adam tried to jump on a doll, but it slipped out from under them. The gnome doll with a gun fired shots at Billy and Kimberly. The two teens dove aside.

Kimberly rolled back onto her knees and extended her hand. "Ki!" she fired an invisible telekinetic pulse that blasted five of the dolls from the ground.

Billy reached out and grabbed one of the dolls. That doll sliced his hand with a knife. Billy snapped back his bloody hand as the doll ran off, a hideous laugh escaping its wooden lips.

Adam narrowed his eyes as the doll ran off. He recognized the doll somehow. Kelly's soul was inside it. Adam ran after the doll.

* * *

Adam followed the doll into the lobby of a nearby business. The doll ran to a sidewall, trapped with nowhere to go. Adam cornered the doll. "You're not going anywhere."

"Door!" the doll shouted. A spell rippled across the wall. The doll leapt through the rippled portal and vanished from the lobby.

"Wait!" Adam shouted as he jumped through the portal to chase after the doll.

Adam landed hard against a rocky shore near the ocean. Key Jester sat back on a large stone, sipping tea and waiting, as if expecting someone. He looked up from his small glass and saw Adam rise to his feet.

The insane Gorma smiled. "Ah…you must be the Lion Ranger."

"Gorma…" Adam cursed beneath his breath. He rose to his feet and stepped back into a fighting stance. "Let's go."

* * *

The dolls had dispersed. But a group of Kyonshi dropped to the streets and surrounded the teens. The grunts charged forward and swung their staffs at the rangers. The teens split up and attacked.

"We have a problem," Billy said as he ducked forward while slamming a palm-heel strike against a soldier's gut. "It's Adam. He's disappeared."

Tommy swung an outer crescent kick, his heel smashing across a soldier's head. He skipped forward with a jump kick that slammed upside a grunt's head. Another Kyonshi swung its staff towards Tommy. Tommy caught the grunt's wrist and slammed a roundkick against the soldier's head.

He armed his bracers. "Aura Power!" he shouted as he connected the morphers. Red energy flashed around him, forming a shell of power. The shell shattered as Dragon Ranger morphed into his armor.

"Red Dragon!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he raised his sword. The zord flew through the air like a giant serpent. Dragon Ranger used his Thunder Blaster to reel himself on top of the zord.

Red Dragon flew above the clouds over Angel Grove. "Ryuseiou, find Adam…"

* * *

Back at the shore, Key Jester slammed a hook punch across Adam's face. Adam stumbled backward and fell to the ground. Key Jester reached down and lifted the ranger by the throat. The Gorma dragged Adam a few steps to the side before slamming a punch beneath the ranger's ribs. The Gorma tossed Adam aside like a pile of rags.

Adam rose into a crouched position as the Gorma stalked towards him. Key Jester armed a jagged key-shaped blade while he transformed into his monster form. The Gorma slammed the blade into the ground. The sword emitted a shockwave that tore beneath the ground towards Adam. The blast exploded underneath the ranger's feet, knocking him backward.

Adam rolled onto his feet, dug his heels into the ground, and sprang forward while arming his morpher. "Chakra ignite!" He connected the braces with a flash of pale-green light that wrapped around his body. He morphed into his Ranger form.

Key Jester swung his blade and slashed Lion Ranger from the air, explosions sparking across Green Ranger's armor. Lion Ranger twisted in midair and bounced back towards the Gorma while swinging a knifehand towards the monster's head. Key Jester grabbed the Ranger by the wrist and swung him over to the ground while slashing across his armor.

From the skies above, Dragon Ranger and his zord spotted the Gorma stalking towards Lion Ranger. "Red Dragon! Fire Blast!"

The zord opened its jaws and launched a torrent of flame that exploded against the shore below, blasting the monster backward with a blinding force of heat.

Dragon Ranger leapt to the ground and helped Lion Ranger to his feet. The other Rangers shortly arrived at the scene and regrouped.

Tenma Ranger placed a hand on Lion Ranger's shoulder. "You okay?"

Lion Ranger nodded.

"Good," Tenma Ranger said. "Then let's show this guy who he's messing with!"

"Yeah," Lion Ranger said as the five Rangers snapped into fighting stances.

Kyonshi gathered around Key Jester as the Gorma aimed his blade towards the Rangers. "You'll be sorry you did that!"

"I don't think so, chrome top!" Dragon Ranger shouted. The five Rangers snapped into fighting stances and announced themselves.

"Dragon Ranger! Heaven Fire Star, Red!"

"Lion Ranger! Heaven Illusion Star, Green!"

"Tenma Ranger! Heaven Gravity Star, Blue!"

"Kirin Ranger! Heaven Time Star, Yellow!"

"Phoenix Ranger! Heaven Wind Star, Pink!"

"Power of the stars," Dragon Ranger shouted, "brought down…Heaven Star Task Force…" Together, they shouted. "Power Rangers!"

"Heh," Key Jester said. "I'm not impressed…Attack!" Kyonshi rushed into battle at the Gorma's command.

"Let's go!" Dragon Ranger shouted. Energy flashed around the Rangers as they leapt forward into battle with streaks of power.

"Kirin Blade!" Kirin Ranger shouted as he leapt forward. He armed a short blade attached to a rope.

Kirin Ranger landed amidst a group of soldiers. He low blocked a soldier's saber strike and slammed a knifehand blow against the grunt's neck. He leaned back and slammed his elbow against an approaching Kyonshi's chest.

Two grunts moved in and swung sabers towards the Yellow Ranger's head. Kirin Ranger ducked underneath the blades and dashed past the soldiers. Kirin Ranger snapped his blade forward. The blade shot out and slammed through the grunt's chest with a burst of spark.

Kirin Ranger pulled the rope, bringing the soldier crashing off his feet and landing hard against his back. Kirin Ranger dropped and slammed his elbow against the fallen soldier's chest.

Nearby, Tenma Ranger armed his twin nunchuku. "Tenma Nunchuks!" He shouted as he twirled his weapons and held them under his arms.

Tenma Ranger looked to his left as a group of soldiers rushed towards him. The Ranger brought his right arm around, swung a nunchuk, and bashed the weapon against the back of a grunt's neck. The Kyonshi went stumbling forward onto the ground.

Another soldier charged at the Blue Ranger. Tenma Ranger snapped a tornado kick and slammed his heel across the soldier's head. The Kyonshi crashed to the ground. Tenma Ranger looked to his left and snapped a high sidekick that bashed against a grunt's face.

Tenma Ranger spun to face another soldier. The Blue Ranger swung both chained weapons in an 'x' pattern, crushing the soldier's collar bones. The grunt collapsed as a second soldier moved in towards the Ranger's back.

Tenma Ranger hopped around and swung both weapons down vertically, crushing the side of the soldier's head upon impact. The Blue Ranger pressed forward and pounced into the air, slamming a double-jump kick against a soldier's face.

Meanwhile, a group of soldiers surrounded Dragon Ranger. "Twin Dragon Swords!" He shouted while twirling his two blades into a square stance.

Dragon Ranger used his left saber to slap a soldier's blade away before chopping his right sword down through the back of a grunt's neck. Dragon Ranger spun forward while slamming a reverse sidekick against a grunt's face.

A Kyonshi swung a staff down towards Dragon Ranger's head. Dragon Ranger used his right blade to high block the blow and spun forward, bringing his left blade across the soldier's body with a burst of spark.

Dragon Ranger pressed forward, twirling his blades to parry a volley of strikes from soldiers. He speared his blade through a soldier's chest, then swung that sword around, slashing across a second soldier's chest with a burst of sparks.

Phoenix Ranger armed a long spear weapon. "Phoenix Spear!" She twirled the blade into a high guard position.

She speared a soldier with the tip of her weapon. Phoenix Ranger twirled the weapon around and slapped down against a soldier's staff to parry an attack. Phoenix Ranger swung the spear back upward, bashing the soldier upside the head.

Phoenix Ranger leapt forward through the air while spearing her weapon through a soldier's face.

Nearby, Lion Ranger faced the Key Jester.

"Lion Staff!" Lion Ranger dashed forward to attack and swung his staff into a fighting position.

Green Ranger swung high and low, but the Gorma blocked both strikes with his blade. The opponents circled around each other, and Lion Ranger speared his staff towards the Gorma. Key Jester parried the blow.

The Gorma twisted his wrist and swung his blade sideways towards the Ranger. Lion Ranger held his staff vertically to block the blow. Lion Ranger twisted to the side, forcing the jagged blade downward.

Lion Ranger snapped a sidekick against the monster. The Gorma was forced a few steps back as Lion Ranger pressed forward. He spun while slamming the end of his staff across the Gorma's head. The villain crashed onto the ground and tumbled backward.

The Gorma slowly pulled himself back to his feet.

Lion Ranger stepped back into a defensive stance. The Green Ranger placed his hand in front of his faceplate. The lion eyes on his helmet pulsed with pale jade light. "Heaven Illusion Star! Mist Concealment Destruction!"

Lion Ranger extended his hand and launched a stream of mystic fog that surrounded the Gorma. An illusion of a box of doors surrounded the Gorma.

Lion Ranger played off of the villain's insanity. "I bet you can't find a key to unlock that door," the Green Ranger taunted.

"Ah, I love a challenge." Key Jester sized the doors' locks and pulled out an appropriate key. He inserted the key into a lock and turned. The doors exploded as soon as the latch turned. The explosion sent the Gorma flying backward and skidding across the ground.

The other Rangers gathered around Lion Ranger as the Gorma rose

"Bomb him," Dragon Ranger said.

The Rangers moved into formation and lifted their hands. They gathered cyan energy between their palms. The energy formed spheres of crackling blue power.

"Kiryoku, bomber!" the Rangers shouted as they hurled the energy spheres forward. The five energy spheres combined into a rolling force of golden energy. The golden energy sphere exploded through the Gorma creature with a massive burst of energy. The villain exploded, his ashes scattering in the wind.

* * *

Across the city, dolls fell limp. Streaks of golden energy, souls, escaped from the dolls. The lights shot across the city. The souls streaked back towards their bodies and entered with rippling waves of power.

Kelly and Sam opened their eyes in their hospital beds.

* * *

The next day, Adam had walked by Kelly's home to check on her and Sam. He made it as far as the door when he heard something crash inside. He heard Kelly's father yelling with anger. Sam was crying.

Adam narrowed his eyes. It was time for a different battle. He knocked on the door. No one answered, but the father stopped yelling. Adam knocked again. The door swung open. Kelly's father, a large man with a gruff exterior, glared at Adam. "Can I help you with something?"

"Do yourself a favor," Adam said. "Drive to the police station and turn yourself in."

The father laughed and went to shut the door. Adam reached out and stopped the door from closing. The 16-year-old ranger grabbed the father by the shirt and tossed him outside.

Sirens sounded from down the street. Adam recognized his father's sleek black car pull up to the curb. A squad car followed from behind.

"Thank god you're here," Kelly's father said as he walked towards the officers. Detective Park walked past them and moved to the home's door. He looked inside and saw Sam crying. He had a bruise on his face. Kelly was leaning down and hugging him.

Detective Park turned to the other officers. "Cuff him. Tight."

The officers tossed Kelly's dad to the ground and cuffed his arms behind his back. He cursed at the officers, threatening to sue.

"Dad," Adam said. "How did you-"

"I came down here to check out what you told me," Detective Park said. "Turns out we've had complaints about this guy before."

Detective Park walked past his son and back towards the car. Adam followed. "But I thought-"

Detective Park turned. "You can't take the law into your own hands," he said firmly. He turned and started to walk away while looking over his shoulder. "What do you think I hate those Rangers for?"

**To be continued…**


	4. Thunderzords Arise

**Thunderzords Arise**

Kimberly launched a series of back flips across a balance beam. It was her first gymnastics practice since the Gorma surfaced, because she had little time for the sport with the Gorma constantly threatening the city.

Kimberly finished her last flip and landed on the floor mat. Coach Nern slammed a clipboard against the gym floor. "That's it Kimberly, you're off the team."

"What?!" Kimberly said. Her coach had never liked her. Some of the other girls on the team snickered, except for one: Monica Gray, a timid, raven-haired girl with green eyes and freckles.

The coach narrowed her eyes at Kimberly, pointing a whistle to enunciate her every word. "You barely show up for practice, and when you do, you give a performance like that. You're out."

* * *

Kimberly walked down the steps of her high school with her head hung low. Gymnastics was one of the few things that gave her life a sense of normality, even before she became a Ranger and battled against Bandora.

"Hey, Kimberly," a voice called from behind her. Kimberly turned to see Monica walk towards her. "I think that was really unfair."

Kimberly shrugged, swaying back and forth on her heels uncomfortably. "There's not a whole lot I can do…"

"Anyway," Monica said as she reached into her book bag. She pulled out a small box and handed it to Kimberly. "I remembered it's your birthday coming up. I got this for you…"

Kimberly was nearly knocked off her feet from her own guilt. "Monica, you didn't have to…"

"I know," Monica said. "I wanted to."

Kimberly opened the box. A small golden bird-shaped hair piece was inside. "Wow…" Kimberly said as she ran her fingers along its edges. "It's beautiful. Why did you get this for me?"

"For old times sake I guess…." Monica said. "Well…I have to get to get going. Don't be a stranger."

Monica walked off. Kimberly looked at the hair clip and held her head down low. Someone walked up from behind her. It was Tommy.

"I don't know about you, but I'm a little happier when someone gives me a present," Tommy said as he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her into a hug.

She hugged him back and breathed a deep sigh.

"Was that a friend of yours?" Tommy asked.

"She used to be," Kimberly said as she and Tommy pulled away. "We've grown apart since we started high school."

"Kim, what's wrong?" Tommy asked. He knew her well enough to know when she was upset. Sometimes, she would keep things to herself because she didn't want to bother Tommy with her own problems.

Kimberly shook her head. "I got kicked off the team."

"What? That's crazy," Tommy said. He wrinkled his brow and looked back towards the school. "Where's your coach? I have a few words for her…"

Before Kimberly could say anything, she and Tommy heard a girl scream from nearby. A group of students fled from around a nearby corner while looking over their shoulders. Tommy and Kimberly ran against the crowd to their next challenge.

* * *

Nearby at Lake Side Park, a female Gorma in monster form stalked towards Monica. The girl was too scared to run. The Gorma's monster form was covered with twisting plates of purple and black armor that wrapped around her slender body. Her bald head and face were pale white and featureless, except for a single eye and small round mouth.

The monster's name was Kuchibeni Utahime, the Lipstick Songstress. The media would later call her Museek.

"How pretty," the Gorma said as she moved closer to her victim. "You will serve my purposes well…"

Monica screamed and darted away. She turned a corner, but the Gorma had reappeared in front of her. Museek grabbed Monica by the throat with one hand. The Gorma waved her free hand across Monica's face.

Tommy and Kimberly ran to the park just as Monica's body went limp. "Gorma!" Tommy shouted as the two rangers ran towards Museek.

The Gorma lowered Monica to the ground. The girl faded from sight, disappearing with a wave of purple light. Museek rose to her full height and narrowed her eye at the approaching rangers.

"Monica!" Kimberly shouted when her friend had vanished.

The Gorma extended her hand. "Kyonshi!" a group of the black soldiers appeared nearby a gazebo in the park. Some of the soldiers aimed short staffs at the rangers. The staffs fired pulses of energy that exploded around the two teens as they dove aside.

Tommy quickly rolled to his feet and readied his morphers. He sprang through the air towards the soldiers and connected his braces. "Chakra ignite!" Red energy flashed around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Dragon Ranger twirled his staff while arcing down from the air. He slammed the staff on a soldier's chest while landing. Dragon Ranger spun forward, crashing the end of his staff across a soldier's head. That grunt collapsed to the ground. Dragon Ranger twirled his staff up high before chopping the weapon down and crushing the fallen soldier's chest.

Two soldiers closed in on either side of Dragon Ranger. Red Ranger speared the soldier to his right in the face and speared the soldier to his left in the gut.

Kimberly readied her Aura Morphers. She started to leap from the ground to morph, but a Kyonshi pulled her leg and slammed her to the ground. A group of grunts pounced on top of her.

"Kimberly!" Dragon Ranger shouted. He bashed a soldier out of his way with his staff. Red Ranger extended his hand towards the Kyonshi as the dragon eyes on his helmet pulsed. "Fire Stream!"

A stream of fire burst from his hand and blasted the soldiers off Kimberly. Dragon Ranger ran to her side and helped Kimberly to her feet. "Kimberly…are you alright?"

Kimberly nodded. "Yeah."

Museek pounced towards them and swung a jagged blade downward with a powerful chop. Dragon Ranger stood in front of Kimberly to protect her. The Gorma's blade slashed across the Ranger's armor and sparked on impact.

Museek dashed forward, moving past the Ranger while slashing him with another swipe from her sword. The Gorma snapped back around to face Dragon Ranger while swinging her blade down towards him. Explosions sparked across Dragon Ranger's armor as the Gorma's blade chopped down in an x-shaped pattern.

Museek pressed forward as her blade energized with amethyst energy. "Sonic Slash!" the blade swiped across the Ranger's chest with a streak of energy, causing a massive explosion of sparks as the Ranger fell backward. A scorching scar mark ran diagonally across his chest.

"Tommy!" Kimberly shouted as she ran to his side.

Engines roared nearby. The other three Rangers arrived at the scene on their Thunder Cycles. Kirin Ranger popped a wheel and crashed the Gorma aside. The Rangers dismounted and regrouped while Dragon Ranger placed a hand on his still-stinging injury.

Kimberly rose to her feet and readied her morphers. "Aura Power!" she shouted as she connected the braces. Pink energy flashed around her as she morphed into her Ranger form.

Tenma Ranger pointed at Museek. "Gorma! You think you're tough enough to take on one of us, try taking us all on!"

The Gorma laughed. "Oh, please," she said with disbelief. "Sonic Destroyer!"

A wave of violet-tinted jagged energy shot from her mouth. The energy blast exploded across the five Rangers with a shower of sparks that ripped across their armor. Dragon, Tenma, Lion, and Kirin Rangers were thrown backwards and splintered through a bench while crashing to the ground.

Tenma Ranger groaned as he rose to his feet. "Me and my big mouth…"

Phoenix Ranger rose to her feet and twirled her Thunder Staff into a fighting position. "Give me back my friend!" she shouted as she charge forward to attack the villain.

"Kimberly wait!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

Phoenix Ranger leapt forward through the air to attack. But Museek fired another jagged wave of sonic energy that exploded against the Pink Ranger's chest. Phoenix Ranger was knocked from the air, but her staff shot forward from her hand.

The staff slashed across the side of the Gorma's face.

Phoenix Ranger rolled across the ground before rising to her knees. The Rangers regrouped around her as Dragon Ranger helped her to her feet.

Tenma Ranger shook his head. "Kimberly, you shouldn't have attacked on your own. That Gorma is suffering from a major PMS attack or something."

The Gorma shrieked as she felt the mark along the side of her face. The mark Pink Ranger's staff had inflicted. "You ruined my beautiful face!"

Museek pulled an enlarging bomb from behind her back. She ripped off the bomb pin and tossed the sphere to the ground. The bomb exploded with mystical energy that the Gorma monster absorbed and used to grow giant.

* * *

Kaku sat in a meditative pose within the Rangers' lair. His eyes were closed and his breathing was deep and controlled. A television behind him displayed Museek in her giant form.

Master Kaku reached out to the One Power.

* * *

Dragon Ranger raised his Thunder Sword into the air. "Thunderzord, arise! Red Dragon!"

The Red Dragon, Ryuseiou, swooped down from the skies. Dragon Ranger used his blaster as an energy grappler and reeled himself onto the top of his zord. He leaned forward as the giant dragon flew towards the villain.

"Do you really think your pet can help you?" Museek said mockingly.

"Red Dragon! Fire Blast!" Dragon Ranger shouted. The dragon opened its jaw, and a large torrent of flame shot forth. The whirling stream of flame exploded against Museek and knocked her backward.

Museek quickly recovered and raised her blade towards the zord. "Sonic Destroyer!" She fired a jagged burst of purple-tinted energy that exploded against Red Dragon's armor.

Flames erupted around Dragon Ranger. He leapt into the cockpit embedded in his zord's armor. He placed his hand over the crystal control sphere on his station. The inside of the sphere crackled with energy. "Red Dragon! Rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy snapped along the zord's armor as Red Dragon shifted shape and transformed into a two-legged warrior. The other Rangers joined Dragon Ranger in the cockpit once the transformation was complete.

Before the Rangers could attack, a wave of pain hit Dragon Ranger from his injury. He keeled over against his control console. Red Dragon copied Dragon Ranger's movements and collapsed onto one knee. The Red Ranger's pain washed over his zord.

The Gorma laughed mockingly at the zord. "Having trouble standing?" She looked down to the ground. "Now for my surprise…"

Five girls appeared in flashes of purple light on the ground below. One of the girls was Monica. Each girl had a far-off distant gaze on her face. Their lips were pale blue.

"Monica!" Phoenix Ranger shouted.

The girls opened their mouths and emitted an eerie melody. The sound washed across a block radius. The Rangers placed their hands over their helmets and keeled over in pain. The sound caused a wave of nauseating vertigo and near-crippling head pain.

"I'll take opera over this any day," Tenma Ranger said through his clenched jaw.

Museek spun forward while slashing her blade across Red Dragon's armor. The Gorma turned and chopped at the zord with a powerful blow.

On the ground below, the Gorma Triumvirate appeared and looked up at the battle. The sight was invigorating for them. They were winning.

Zydos raised his fists into the air. "Yes, Kuchibeni Utahime!"

Shadam had something else in mind besides cheering. He extended his hand towards the massive zord above. An evil grin spread across Gara's face as she placed her hand on Shadam's. Zydos joined them.

The three Gorma fired a volley of energy snakes that slithered through the air and swirled around the Red Dragon. Explosions suddenly ripped across the zord, tearing across Red Dragon's armor with flames and spark that knocked the zord off its feet.

* * *

Beads of sweat dripped down Kaku's brow as he sat in his meditative pose. An aura of golden energy shimmered around him, but fluctuated at the same time Red Dragon was hit. The sensei narrowed his brow and struggled to hold his concentration.

The lair began to shake. Glasses were knocked off tables and shattered against the ground. Kaku himself was slammed off his small stage with an invisible force of energy.

* * *

Museek chopped her blade against Red Dragon's shoulder, and the zord grabbed hold of the jagged weapon. Below, the five girls continued to sing, making it nearly impossible for the Rangers to fight an effective battle.

Dragon Ranger rolled his hands into fists. Anger ignited in his veins, frustration he had pent up since the Gorma arrived. The Red Ranger had allowed himself to get injured by Museek. Tenma Ranger had saved Kimberly from the red-masked Gorma. Lion Ranger was instrumental in returning the stolen souls. _What have I done in the meantime? _Dragon Ranger thought. Guilt. Shannon was dead. Doubt. How could he lead. Depression. Bandora had used him. Even after more than a year of being a Ranger, Dragon Ranger let himself beat down his own spirit.

"Enough is enough!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he lunged his hand forward.

Red Dragon copied the Ranger's movements. The zord grabbed Museek by the neck and lifted her, hurling the Gorma overhead and sending her flailing through the air. Museek crashed against the ground. With the monster's concentration broken, the girls' singing stopped.

"Much better," Dragon Ranger said. Red Dragon leapt through the air and slammed a flying kick against Museek, knocking the Gorma further backward.

"Dragon Staff!" Dragon Ranger commanded. Red Dragon armed its onyx staff and swung the weapon into a fighting position.

Red Dragon twirled the staff like a propeller while gliding towards the Gorma giant. The staff radiated with crimson energy, pulsing with red power. "Whirling Force!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

Red Dragon swung its staff as Museek swung her sword. The two weapons clashed against each other with a massive burst of energy feedback that exploded across Museek and Red Dragon. The opponents held their ground as the energy discharges grew more violent.

* * *

Sensei Kaku had moved back to his platform. His meditative stance was even more intense. His body shook. One of the hovering green spheres in the lair exploded. A volley of explosions suddenly sparked across the room and knocked Kaku backward, sending him crashing against a wall.

* * *

An explosive charge ignited between Museek and Red Dragon. The red-armored Thunderzord crashed backward and collapsed to the ground. The fall was violent enough to shake the Rangers from the cockpit, causing them to fall to the streets below and demorph.

Museek stumbled backward and collapsed.

Red Dragon fluctuated with energy and transformed back into his serpent-like dragon form. The Thunderzord took off towards the skies in retreat.

"Red Dragon!" Tommy called out.

Museek rose back to her feet, her body still steaming with smoke from the blast. "I'll get you for this!" she said as she vanished.

* * *

The teens returned to the lair to find their Sensei heaped over against a wall. He looked fatigued, and his forehead was dripping with sweat.

"Sensei!" Tommy called as they ran over to Kaku and helped him to his feet. "What happened?"

Kaku leaned down and placed his hand on the small stage to steady himself as he sat. "I can no longer sustain the Red Dragon.

Tommy wrinkled his brow. And the other teens were just as confused.

Kaku looked up at his charges. "I am not strong enough…"

Tommy shook his head. "But I thought…"

"Red Dragon has been answering to my power," Kaku said. "I called upon him…but now…" he shook his head. The last wave of dizziness had not yet worn off.

"How do we get the Red Dragon back?" Tommy asked.

"First you must find the kidnapped girls," Kaku said.

Tommy sighed. He missed the days of using the Command Chamber to search Angel Grove and countless pocket dimensions. He looked to his teammates. "Let's go."

* * *

Kimberly paced alone in a woodland area nearby. She held the golden hairclip Monica had given her in her right hand. The teen's shoulders were slumped low with guilt. Her mind flashed back…

_12-year-old Kimberly had just moved to Angel Grove with her mother. Her mom had gotten another kind of job. Kimberly wasn't sure exactly what the job was, but of course, her mother was gone all the time while doing it. _

_It was her first year at Taft Middle School. Kimberly was starting classes in the midst of the school year. She didn't know anyone and was too shy to start talking to people and introduce herself. _

_She sat in the lobby after her lunch period. She was on a bench alone. Some of the blonde cheerleaders at her school pointed and laughed at the sight of Kimberly sitting alone. _

_A boy moved in and sat down besides Kimberly. He gave her a sincere smile. He had sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes like wet diamonds. His skin looked smooth and tan. _

"_You're new here, aren't you?" he asked._

_Kimberly blushed and nodded. "Yeah. We just moved into an apartment complex not too far from here."_

"_Cool," the boy said. "Maybe I could walk you home sometime?"_

_Kimberly smiled. "I'd like that."_

_Kimberly was so lost in the boy's eyes that she didn't notice a group of the cheerleading girls walk towards her. One of the girls gave Kimberly a look of disbelief. "Um, Nic, what are you doing with the little Loser-Stank?"_

"_Relax," Nic said as he looked to the girls. _

_They giggled. "Whatever, Nic, come on."_

_The girls started to walk away, motioning for Nic to follow them. He did so reluctantly. _

* * *

_The school day just got worse. Some of the cheerleaders thought it would be funny to dump a glass of water onto Kimberly's pants. She was at her locker in the empty hallway while everyone else was in class. _

_A girl walked over to Kimberly. It was Monica. "Hey…you're the new girl right?"_

"_Why?" Kimberly said bitterly as she shuffled through her locker. _

"_I'm sorry," Monica said. "You can't let those bimbos worry you. Not everyone here is like them. Maybe I could show you around the city sometime? My mom and little sister Rachel would probably have to tag along. But they're cool."_

_Kimberly smiled and tried to keep from crying. "That would be nice."_

* * *

_Monica and Kimberly became fast friends. Kimberly felt more at home at Monica's place than she did her own apartment. _

_A couple years passed, and they started their freshman year at high school. Kimberly had become the rising star of the gymnastics team._

_During the first week of school, Nic and the cheerleading girls walked by Kimberly's locker. Kimberly and Monica were at the locker, talking about their fears of an upcoming pop quiz. _

"_Hey Kimberly," Nic said as they stopped around her locker. "I saw you at the gymnastics meet the other day. You looked awesome."_

_Kimberly blushed. "Thanks."_

"_Yeah," one of the girls agreed, much to Kimberly's surprise. "The cheerleading team has an opening. You should totally try out."_

_That was how it started. Kimberly tried out for the team and joined. The more active and popular she became, the less she spoke with Monica. She later learned that Monica used to be friends with the cheerleading group but "abandoned" them. The circumstances of the abandonment were unclear. _

_During an upcoming dance, one of Nic's friends had asked Monica to be his date. She agreed. She had no way of knowing it was a joke. _

_Kimberly was in the back seat of an upper classman's car as they drove past Monica's house. The closer they got to the house, the more guilty Kimberly felt. She knew she should have done something, but she didn't._

_Monica was on the porch in a beautiful yellow dress, waiting for her date. The car barely slowed to a crawl in front of the home. Monica's date leaned out the window while the cheerleaders laughed. _

"_Change of plans," he said as he readied a pellet of mud on his slingshot. He snapped the mud, and it splattered on Monica's dress. _

_The car sped off. _

_Monica had tried to kill herself that night._

"Ki!" Kimberly shouted as she thrust her hand forward. An invisible pulse of energy pulverized a nearby boulder. Birds flapped from the trees, fleeing from the sound. A tear streamed down Kimberly's cheek. She turned to another rock and thrust her hand forward. "Ki!"

Tommy stepped out from the trees and placed his hands on hers to stop her. "Kim…don't do this to yourself."

Kimberly sighed with frustration and sat on a boulder. "Tommy, why did I let this happen?"

Tommy sat down besides her and put his hand over hers, gently rubbing the top of her hand with his thumb. "Why are you taking this so hard?"

Kimberly shook her head, her gaze distant. "She was my best friend…but then we…kind of drifted apart…"

"It happens," Tommy said.

Kimberly shook her head. "No…I made it happen. Once we got into high school…I fell in with the wrong crowd. Ever since then…" she shook her head.

A bright light suddenly flashed across Kimberly's mind's eye. Five dots of light circled around a golden star, glowing intensely. The points of light shot downward in multi-colored orbs.

One of the orbs transformed into the silhouette of a shining Phoenix that flew across the desert landscape in China.

"Kim…" Tommy said as he tried to shake her from her trance. "Kim? What happened?"

Kimberly snapped back into reality. She shook her head, the images of the vision still fresh in her mind. "I'm not sure."

* * *

Museek stood on top of a city skyscraper. A Kyonshi held a mirror in front of the Gorma monster so she could inspect the injury along the side of her face. The villain shook with fury. Museek slammed the back of her hand across the Kyonshi, knocking the soldier aside as the mirror fell and shattered.

Gara blinked into appearance and stepped towards Museek. "You're stalling," she said. "It's time to attack again before our enemies recover."

Museek narrowed her eye and looked down upon the city. "I will attack again, Gara…and I will have the one known as Kimberly's head."

* * *

Kimberly entered the lair to speak with Kaku while the other rangers patrolled the city streets. Sensei sat on his low platform while drinking a glass of green tea. "What troubles you, Kimberly?"

Kimberly shook her head, not quite sure where to start. "I saw something a while ago. In my head. I think I'm going crazy."

"What was it?" Kaku asked.

Kimberly sighed. "There was this flash of light, and then five gems or something shot down from the stars. Then there was this giant bird."

Kaku's eyes opened wide, not only at the vision, but the fact that the rangers' powers were maturing so quickly. "You saw the Heaven-Star Thunder Gems."

Kimberly raised an eyebrow. "The what?"

"The Heaven-Star Thunder Gems," Kaku explained. "The heart of the Kidenjuu's power. The Gems appeared to the original Dairanger team 6,000 years ago. They are what allowed the bond between the mystical creatures and the Dairanger.

"All of the Kidenjuu except for Red Dragon have been lost since the end of the 500 Year War between the Gorma and Dai. I managed to save Red Dragon and have been sustaining him with my own power since."

"So…what does the vision mean?" Kimberly asked.

"I am not sure…" Kaku answered, "but if the gems are found, they will allow you and the others to call on the rest of the Thunderzords, and Tommy to properly bond with his zord, increasing Red Dragon's power tremendously."

Kaku's communication console blinked. He activated the console, and Tommy's voice came through. "We're getting clobbered. There are about a gazillion Kyonshi out here, plus that Museek…thing."

Kimberly ran to help her friends.

* * *

The Rangers fought on a two-level walkway along the bay shore. Dragon Ranger and Museek traded blows on the top level, while the other three Rangers battled Kyonshi below.

Dragon Ranger swung a backfist towards Museek's head, but the Gorma blocked the blow. Museek knocked Dragon Ranger's arm away and hook punched the Ranger across the helmet.

Museek slammed a kick against Dragon Ranger's side and chopped a knifehand blow against the back of the Ranger's neck. Dragon Ranger went toppling over the ledge and crashed to the walkway below.

Red Ranger rose to his knees as two soldiers armed with sabers charged towards him. Dragon Ranger grabbed a soldier's wrist and flipped the grunt over while rising to full height and snapping a hook kick across the second soldier's head.

Lion Ranger swung his Lion Staff in a wide arc, knocking three Kyonshi aside.

Kirin Ranger hurled his roped Kirin Blade into a soldier's chest. He pulled that soldier off its feet, and the grunt collapsed to the ground. Kirin Ranger dropped an elbow against the fallen soldier's chest to finish the Kyonshi off.

Tenma Ranger tornado kicked a soldier and bashed a nunchuk across the grunt's head

Museek laughed at the Rangers gathered below. "And now you die…"

She sang a hypnotic and eerie melody that struck the Rangers with a wave of vertigo. The Rangers dropped their weapons and grasped the sides of their helmets as they struggled to keep their balance.

A wave of Kyonshi rushed past them, spinning while slashing their sabers across the four Rangers' armor. Explosions sparked and ripped across their armor as they fell backward. Lion Ranger crashed onto his back. A soldier landed on top of the Green Ranger and pressed a staff down against his neck.

A soldier wrapped its arms around Dragon Ranger from behind. A second grunt used a saber to slash across the Red Ranger's armor.

"Guys!" Kimberly shouted as she ran to the scene.

Museek glared down at Kimberly. The Gorma ran a finger along the scar on her face and hissed beneath her breath. "Kimberly…"

The Gorma monster leapt from the upper walkway and landed in front of Kimberly. The villain readied her sword. "This is between you and me, wench."

Kimberly leapt forward through the air while arming her morphing braces. She kicked off Museek's back while passing over the monster. Kimberly kicked a soldier in the chest as she landed.

"Chakra ignite!" she shouted as she connected her bracers. Pink energy surrounded her with a bright glow as she morphed into her Ranger form.

Phoenix Ranger leapt through the air and swung her Thunder Sword down towards Museek. Museek used her jagged blade to block the blow and swipe the Pink Ranger from the air. Phoenix Ranger crashed against the ground.

Museek stalked towards the fallen Pink Ranger. The monster aimed her blade at Phoenix Ranger while preparing to deliver a final blow.

The Gorma Triumvirate blinked into focus as they arrived at the scene to watch the Rangers' demise.

Phoenix Ranger used her hands to steady herself and rise to her knees. Blinding light flashed before her mind's eye again as the vision appeared. Through her mind, she saw the five swirling gems and the giant Phoenix.

Phoenix Ranger started to glow with a deep golden hue as the Gorma Triumvirate watched, their brows wrinkled with concern.

Then Phoenix Ranger vanished.

"What?!" Museek shrieked.

Shadam narrowed his brow. "It can't be."

The Gorma Triumvirate stepped backward and blinked away. Museek and the Kyonshi teleported too, following their leaders.

Dragon Ranger and the others ran to where Phoenix Ranger had disappeared from. "Kim!"

* * *

Kimberly stood alone in an isolated desert. The desert looked just like the one in her vision. She activated her communicator but heard nothing except static. "Tommy…Billy…Rocky…Adam…"

She shook her head and sighed as she lowered her communicator. It was no use.

The vision overwhelmed her again. This time, she saw the silhouette of five mighty beasts. Two of the beasts were Ryuseiou and the Phoenix. A powerful armored lion, and what looked like a Pegasus and griffin, stampeded beneath the flying dragon and Phoenix.

* * *

The Gorma Triumvirate and Museek blinked to an area nearby Kimberly. They were all in China. Shadam recognized the area well, despite the changes it had sustained over the centuries.

Shadam narrowed his eyes. "This is where Dairanger first received their Thunder Gems." He turned to Museek. "Find Kimberly. Stop her."

Museek nodded and blinked away.

* * *

The other four teens drove across China's barren terrain on their Thunder Cycles, having teleported there more than an hour earlier.

"Why China?" Rocky asked.

Tommy shook his head. His eyes were fixed ahead. "I don't know."

A group of Kyonshi suddenly dropped from the air. Tommy swerved to the side while slamming a kick against a grunt.

Rocky spun his cycle around, kicking up dust as the soldiers tried to surround him. He pulled the handles back, throttling forward and lifting his wheel. The wheel crashed against a soldier, knocking the grunt backward.

* * *

A wall of Kyonshi cut across Kimberly's path. Half the soldiers were armed with staffs. The other half were armed with fencing-type sabers. Kimberly snapped into a fighting stance as Museek stepped forward from the group of soldiers.

The Gorma pointed her jagged blade at the ranger. "You will pay for what you did to me."

Kimberly narrowed her eyes. "Get over it."

Museek shrieked with rage as she and the Kyonshi charged forward to attack. The Gorma warrior held her jagged blade high above her head.

Kimberly readied her morphers. "Chakra ignite!" she shouted as she connected her bracers. Pink energy flowed around her body as she transformed into her Ranger form.

Phoenix Ranger used her hand to knock away three violent swipes from Museek. Phoenix Ranger used both hands to grab the flat of the Gorma's blade. Phoenix Ranger twisted the sword aside and slammed a knifehand blow against the Gorma's neck. Phoenix Ranger sidekicked the Gorma in the face.

Kyonshi rushed at Phoenix Ranger from behind.

The Pink Ranger ducked beneath a soldier's blow and slammed an elbow against a second soldier's body, crushing the grunt's chest.

Two more soldiers charged towards Phoenix Ranger. She snapped an outer crescent kick that smashed the two grunts backward.

Phoenix Ranger flipped backward while kicking a soldier upside the head. She spun forward upon landing and slammed a knifehand across the soldier's face.

Museek watched Phoenix Ranger bash her way through the Kyonshi. The Gorma tightened her grip on her blade as her body shook with anger. The Pink Ranger had to die.

Museek charged forward, hacking through her own troops to get closer to Phoenix Ranger as quickly as possible. The villain swung her blade towards Phoenix Ranger's neck. Phoenix Ranger ducked out of the way, and Museek's blade hacked through a nearby Kyonshi on accident.

Phoenix Ranger snapped a jumpkick that slammed against the Gorma. Museek swung her blade horizontally, but Phoenix Ranger ducked underneath the blow, slamming a roundkick against the Gorma's side while rising back up from the duck.

Museek stood her ground. "Sonic Destroyer!" The Gorma fired a jagged blade of violet energy that exploded against Phoenix Ranger's chest with a shower of sparks, knocking her backward.

Phoenix Ranger tumbled across the ground, her armor forcibly powering down. Kimberly slowly rose to her feet as Museek and Kyonshi stalked towards her.

Museek snapped her fingers, summoning the five girls with a flash of light. The girls appeared on the other side of Kimberly. Kimberly turned to face them. "Monica…please don't."

The five girls began singing. The sound washed over Kimberly, bringing her down to her knees. "Please stop…" she begged, much to Museek's enjoyment.

Kimberly shook her head. She gained enough strength to leap over Museek and the Kyonshi, and she scurried down the side of a mountain.

"After her!" Museek shouted as the Kyonshi began to pursue.

* * *

Tommy knocked down the last of the Kyonshi. The rangers breathed a sigh of relief as they hopped back onto their Thunder Cycles.

"We must be close," Tommy said.

"What gave you that idea," Rocky said sarcastically.

* * *

Kimberly moved towards the base of a mountain and noticed a tall, ancient relic that used to be a statue of some kind. Her eyes opened wide as she recognized the statue. It was the entrance to the Dai Temple Kaku had shown them on the Astral Plane.

Then suddenly, from the heavens, five multi-colored streaks of light shot down and streaked into a narrow opening in the mountain wall. Kimberly hurried past the statue and entered the opening.

Kimberly moved through the narrow passage of rock and entered a giant dimly-lit cavern. The giant dragon Ryuseiou was lying on the ground, breathing deeply as he healed his wounds.

"Red Dragon," she whispered as she approached the fallen dragon. She was not even sure if the zord could understand her. "Where are the gems?"

Red Dragon slowly lifted his head and looked to the opposite side of the cavern wall. The five Thunder Gems were embedded in the stone. They were well beyond her reach.

* * *

Outside, Museek had grown giant. The Gorma launched jagged beams of energy that tore through the mountains. She was determined to smoke Phoenix Ranger out of hiding.

Red Dragon burst from the mountains and roared. Kimberly was riding on top of the Dragon's head in a crouched position. The dragon had saved her from getting crushed by a cave in.

"You!" Museek shrieked as she saw Kimberly on top of the dragon. "Sonic Destroyer!"

The Gorma fired a jagged burst of purple energy that exploded against Ryuseiou and knocked the dragon backward. The blast knocked Kimberly from the zord, and she went tumbling across the ground.

The other teens finally arrived on the scene and hopped off their Thunder Cycles as they ran to Kimberly's side.

"Kim!" Tommy shouted as he helped her to her feet. The two hugged.

"This is sweet and all, guys," Rocky said, "but can we kill the big scary monster first?"

The teens armed their wrist morphers. "Chakra ignite! Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

"Tommy," Phoenix Ranger said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "The Heaven-Star Thunder Gems are in that cave."

Dragon Ranger nodded, looking up at the giant Gorma monster. "You guys go get the gems. Red Dragon and I will handle this lip singer."

Dragon Ranger ran towards the fallen Red Dragon. The Red Ranger entered his zord's cockpit and placed his hand on the control crystal in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of energy snapped around the dragon as his body started to reconfigure. Red Dragon transformed into a giant warrior and snapped into a fighting stance as Museek charged forward.

On the ground below, Monica and the four other enslaved girls sang their song. The four Rangers keeled over in pain as a wave of vertigo nearly caused them to black out. A group of armed Kyonshi charged forward to attack.

The grunts spun through the Rangers' formation while hacking across their armor, blades sparking on impact.

Above, the giant Museek energized her saber. She swung the blade upward in an x-shaped pattern that exploded across Red Dragon's armor. The zord stumbled backward, but Museek pressed on her attack.

The Gorma slashed her blade across Red Dragon with a powerful horizontal swing. Explosions tore across Red Dragon's armor as the zord tumbled backward, crashing against the ground.

Below, Phoenix Ranger was on her knees as the five girls stalked towards her. Their voices intensified, shaking the mountains themselves. Kyonshi were slashing the other three Rangers nearby.

Phoenix Ranger used what energy she could to spring off her feet and leap towards the mountainside. She started moving away loose rocks and rubble, trying to ignore the singing and get inside to find the Thunder Gems.

The singing intensified. Phoenix Ranger was too dizzy to stay standing. She stumbled backward, her world spinning as she slid back down to the ground. The five girls formed a line between Phoenix Ranger and the mountain.

The Pink Ranger was not out of the fight yet. She managed to rise to her feet, but for all she could tell, she may as well have been spread across the ground. She placed her hands together as the phoenix eyes on her helmet flashed with power.

"Heaven Wind Star!" she shouted over the singing. "Whirl-wind destruction!"

She extended her hand and launched a straight-line cyclone of pink energy and wind that knocked the girls over, stopping their singing, and streaked into the cave. The wind attack blasted open a hole in the cave.

Five streaks of energy shot out from the cave hole. The Thunder Gems streaked from the cave towards their holders.

The other three Rangers regrouped around Phoenix Ranger as the gems floated down into their palms.

Dragon Ranger was in his cockpit as the red Heaven-Star Thunder Gem floated towards him. Dragon Ranger grabbed the gem, and it pulsed with red energy. Dragon Ranger was truly connected to his zord. Their power flowed alongside each other, no longer needing Kaku as an anchor.

Dragon Ranger looked down at the gem in his palm. The outline of a dragon appeared drawn with lines of energy within the gem..

Below, the other four Rangers grasped onto their gems. Each gem started to glow with the symbol of that Ranger's animal.

The four Rangers unsheathed their swords and raised their weapons into the sky while holding their gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

"Star Lion!" Lion Ranger shouted. A black-and-green lion appeared from a cloud of mist. The lion roared as it moved forward, almost as if it was hovering instead of running.

"Star Phoenix!" Phoenix Ranger shouted. The red-and-pink-trimmed bird swooped down from the skies with a snap of its golden tail.

"Star Tenma!" Tenma Ranger shouted.

"Star Kirin!" Kirin Ranger shouted.

The two zords charged into view. Both the black-and-blue-armored zord, and the yellow-and-black-armored zord, were nearly identical. The zords hovered forward with the same grace as the lion had.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters to reel themselves into their zords' cockpits.

Tenma Ranger placed his hand on the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Gravity Thrower!" he shouted.

Star Tenma used gravity power to lift massive clumps of boulders and debris. The debris shot forward at high speeds, smashing against the Gorma with a cloud of dust upon impact.

Lion Ranger placed his hand over his zord's control sphere. "Lion Mist!"

Star Lion used its powers of light and illusion to surround the Gorma monster with a cloud of mist. A giant illusion of Shadam ran forward through the mist.

"Shadam?!" Museek shrieked with shock as she took a step backward. The Shadam illusion slashed a blade across her chest, explosions ripping across her body as she fell backward, the illusion mist dropping around her.

Kirin Ranger placed his hand over his zord's control sphere. "Kirin Flares!"

Star Kirin opened its jaws. Bolts of fiery energy shot forth. The energy blasts were actually temporal/spatial displacement flares. The flares exploded against the monster with a violent impact.

Phoenix Ranger placed her hand over her zord's crystal. "Phoenix Hurricane!"

Star Phoenix produced a large cyclone of pink energy that slammed into Museek and sent her crashing to the ground.

"Chariot Fusion!" Phoenix Ranger shouted.

Star Lion, Star Tenma, Star Phoenix, and Star Kirin shot to the skies as energy danced across their armor, lashing out like bolts of lightning. The four zords combined into a flying chariot. Red Dragon used its spinning staff like a helicopter propeller to glide and land on the Thunder Chariot.

The Thunder Chariot streaked downward as the Rangers joined in Dragon Ranger's cockpit.

Red Dragon twirled his staff as the Chariot swooped down towards the enemy. Lines of crimson power gathered around the staff.

"Red Dragon!" Dragon Ranger shouted. "Whirling Force!"

Red Dragon leapt off the Chariot and arced down towards Museek. The red-armored zord landed while chopping its staff through the Gorma. Museek's energy overloaded and exploded.

Monica and the other four girls dropped into unconsciousness, but they survived.

* * *

Darkness stirred on the other side of the city. A black-armored warrior slid his blade into its scabbard. He fit his mask into position. His gauntlets snapped into position. There was no turning back.

The dark-armored Gorma prepared to make his attack. An attack his master knew would leave the rangers in shambles.

**To be continued…**


	5. The Stranger

**The Stranger**

The Gorma Triumvirate gathered in an abandoned city warehouse. They were not happy. Shadam leaned against a crate with his hands rolled into fists. Zydos paced back and forth across the cold, concrete floor. Gara leaned against a pillar with her arms crossed.

Shadam slammed his hand through the crate. "Damn the Kidenjuu! Damn them!"

Gara shook her head with a look of disgust at how Shadam was acting. "The Rangers should have been killed by now."

Laughter suddenly came from the shadows of the warehouse. The Triumvirate stood at alert. Two lines of Kyonshi marched from the shadows. The soldiers held a platform above the ground between them. The platform rocked from side to side as the soldiers moved forward.

A bearded man in white-and-red robes sat on the platform. He had the markings of a Gorma Archbishop running down his robe. The heavy-set man grinned at the Triumvirate. He was happy with the looks of shock on their faces. "Been a long time, hasn't it Shadam, Gara, Zydos…"

"Daizojo Riju," Shadam growled at the sight of Archbishop Saw, who technically outranked him in the Gorma hierarchy. "The three of us are enough. We don't need you around to screw things up."

Archbishop Saw rose from the platform. His robes hung from his body like dead skin. "It's taken you too long to defeat these Rangers…"

Shadam growled, not wanting to admit that the Archbishop was right.

Daizojo Riju smiled wickedly at Shadam's response. "You need someone to defeat Master Kaku, yes?" the Archbishop asked. "I have brought you someone."

The Archbishop looked back to the shadows. A black-armored figure stepped forward. His body armor was trimmed with dark-gold lining. A black mask covered the lower part of his face, exposing only the pale flesh around his dark eyes. An onyx cape flowed behind him, matching the color of his helmet. A red streak of hair-like material extended from the back of his helmet.

The Archbishop smiled. "Tenkasei Ryou!" he shouted, identifying the dark-armored stranger.

The Gorma Triumvirate recognized Ryou immediately. They hated the man with a passion.

"Bastard!" Zydos charged towards Ryou with his fists held ready and muscles surging with blood to attack.

The Archbishop extended his hand. A jagged burst of red lightning shot forth and enveloped Zydos, knocking him backward as power electrified his every bone and muscle. Zydos slammed against a warehouse pillar before crumbling to the ground.

The strong Gorma's body started to convulse as Archbishop Saw walked over to him. The Archbishop smiled down at Zydos with amusement and kicked the fallen warrior. "Pathetic…"

* * *

Rocky and Kimberly walked across the Honey Creek Blvd. shopping district in Angel Grove South.

Rocky's arms were full of several bags from various upscale stores housed within skyscrapers along the street. "Gee," Rocky said as he shifted the weight of the bags. "Are you sure you bought enough stuff?"

Kimberly rolled her eyes and smiled. "It will suffice. Besides, it's not often I get to go out anymore."

"As far as your pocket book is concerned, that's a good thing," Rocky said.

Explosions sparked further down the street as citizens ran in panic. The two rangers dropped the bags and dashed forward towards the disturbance. They turned a corner to see a dark-armored man slowly walk forward. An aura of dark power hung about him that made the rangers' hair stand on end. It was Tenkasei Ryou.

"Who's that clown?" Rocky asked.

"Trouble," Kimberly said as she and Rocky snapped into fighting stances.

Ryou extended his hand. A flurry of black fire bolts shot forward. The Rangers morphed just as the black blasts exploded against their armor, knocking them backward, sending them crashing against a wall and crumbling to the ground.

The Rangers rose back to their feet. Tenma Ranger charged forward to attack the Gorma, who was standing tall and silent. Tenma Ranger launched a flying roundhouse kick that Ryou ducked under.

The Blue Ranger spun low and aimed a sweep kick towards the villain's legs. The Gorma effortlessly hopped over the blow.

Tenma Ranger rose back to his feet and spun a tornado kick towards the Gorma's head. Ryou grabbed the Blue Ranger's leg and tossed him aside. Tenma Ranger crashed against the ground and tumbled backward.

Phoenix Ranger placed her hands together as the phoenix eyes on her helmet flashed with energy. "Heaven Wind Star! Whirlwind Destruction!"

A straight-line pink energy tornado streamed forward. Ryou extended his hand, and the wind blast passed harmlessly around him. Ryou extended his other hand. "Wind!" A tornado of black flame exploded against both Rangers' armor and sent them flying off their feet. They crashed against the ground.

Tenma Ranger slowly stumbled to his feet and placed his hands in front of his chest. The Pegasus eyes on his helmet flashed. "Heaven Gravity Star! Gravity Inversing Destruction!"

Tenma Ranger extended his hand and fired a jagged blast of blue gravity energy that lashed towards the Gorma.

Ryou extended his hand and absorbed the blast. The Gorma extended his other hand and launched a jagged burst of golden energy. The energy blast slammed against Tenma Ranger and washed over him. The Gorma used gravity power to lift Tenma Ranger into the air and crash him against the ground repeatedly.

Ryou released his grasp, and Tenma Ranger crashed onto the ground. The two Rangers regrouped and rose back to their feet.

Ryou extended his hand and fired a crimson energy blast that exploded against the Rangers' armor with a shower of sparks.

* * *

Tommy kneeled at the grave of his birth parents. It was the anniversary of their death. He made it a point to visit every year. But this time his younger brother and "twin" sister, both by adoption, went with him.

"You guys didn't have to come," Tommy said.

Chelsea placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. "We wanted to, Tommy. You're our brother."

Tommy nodded as he sighed to himself. Too much death was in his life.

Teddy looked over to his older brother. "Do you remember your real parents?"

Tommy shook his head, his eyes fixed on the gravestones. "Not really. They died when I was very young. I do remember a dream I used to have about him though. I was running down the beach to them. The sand was so white…I could see my mom, but I couldn't see my dad's face. He lifted me up in his arms…They were both laughing…"

Tommy sighed, but before he could continue his story, his communicator started beeping.

"Whoops," Tommy said as he got up. "I forgot about my appointment."

"What appointment?" Chelsea asked.

"Exactly," Tommy said as he ran off.

* * *

Kirin Ranger and Lion Ranger arrived at the battle scene on their Thunder Cycles. Their vehicles skid to a halt, and the Rangers jumped off the Cycles. They ran to their two teammates.

"Are you alright?" Lion Ranger asked as he and Kirin Ranger helped Phoenix Ranger and Tenma Ranger to their feet.

Phoenix Ranger nodded. "This guy is tough," she warned them.

"Aren't they all?" Tenma Ranger said.

The Gorma unsheathed his sword before the four Rangers could attack. Ryou plunged the blade into the ground. A shockwave tore a wide crevice along the ground underneath the Rangers. Tenma Ranger barely managed to roll out of the way. But the others fell into the depths of the rift.

Ryou swung his blade horizontally, emitting a crimson energy wave that exploded against Tenma Ranger's armor. The Blue Ranger went flying backward and crashed through a pile of crates, his armor forcibly demorphing from the assault.

Rocky forced his exhausted muscles to pull himself back to his feet. He looked up to find Ryou standing in front of him. The Gorma held his blade to Rocky's throat.

"Tell Master Kaku," the Gorma said in a deep metallic voice, "that if he wants to see his team again alive, to meet me at the fighting ground in an hour. He will know where."

Ryou started to walk away as Tommy ran to the scene. "Hey!" the ranger shouted, seconds before the Gorma vanished in a cloud of fog.

Tommy ran to his friend's side. "Rocky, are you alright? Where are the others?"

Rocky shook his head. "They're gone."

* * *

Tommy and Rocky stood in the lair. Rocky was doing his best to explain the black-armored Gorma to Sensei Kaku. "He called himself Tenkasei Ryou…or something."

Kaku's eyes opened wide with recognition. "Tenkasei Ryou?"

"Who is he?" Tommy asked.

Kaku shook his head. "Ryou was the original pilot of Ryuseiou, the Red Dragon Thunderzord. That was until he was lured to the Gorma by Daizojo Riju, Archbishop Saw. Ryou led his teammates into a trap. They were slaughtered."

_**Daos Civilization: 6,000 years ago**_

_Four lightning-quick figures rushed through the battle field with their swords slashing any opponent that got in their way. The warriors wore white, baggy body suits, with plates of gray armor over their chests, forearms, and ankles. Each plate of armor had a different engraving of a different animal in a different color: a blue tenma, a yellow kirin, a pink phoenix, and a green lion. _

_The villains they fought were mere foot soldiers, none worthy of actual combat. They were called Kyonshi, the grunts of the Gorma empire. Gorma soldiers not strong enough to turn themselves into monsters often died while trying, but their bodies were reanimated by the Gorma and covered with skin-tight armor and masks to hide their appearance. Each undead soldier had an unseen third eye beneath its mask. _

_Suddenly, a dark muscular form dropped from the sky. He had short red hair, minimum amounts of golden armor covering his body, blue slacks, and one eye in the center of his forehead. His name was Baron Muscle. _

_The four warriors stopped in their tracks and assumed defensive stances as Baron Muscle smiled wickedly. Fires of destruction continued to burn around them. "Dairanger…" he said with an evil grin._

_The villain slammed his hand against the ground and shouted "Power Quaker!" as a wave of energy tore up the earth from beneath the warriors' feet, forcing them to jump into the air._

"_Gravity Pulse!" Tenjusei Shoji shouted as he leapt through the air. He thrust out his hand and fired a jagged-blue gravimetric shockwave that exploded against the Gorma monster. Baron Muscle braced himself as the blast hit him, skidding him backward as his feet tore up the dirt. _

_Tenjisei Kazu landed at the monster's side as the blue energy dissipated. "Time Sparks!" the warrior shouted as sparks of energy flew from his palms and splashed harmlessly across the Gorma monster's side. _

_The monster slammed the back of his fist across Kazu's head, knocking the warrior into the air. _

_Tengensei Daigo held his Thunder Saber high and screamed at the top of his lungs as he charged towards the Gorma. Baron Muscle grabbed Daigo by the face and slammed him against the ground. _

_Tenpusei Rio thrust his arms towards the monster and shouted: "Tempest Winds!" He fired a gale-force wind that knocked the villain backward several steps as the ground tore up around him. _

_Winds whipped around Baron Muscle as he slammed his hand against the ground and shouted: "Power Quaker!"_

_An energy wave shot across the ground and exploded beneath the warriors' feet with a massive shockwave that sent them flying through the air within a cloud of dirt kicked up by the blast. _

_Tenjusei Shoji climbed back to his feet and gathered his energy around him. "Gravity Well!" He fired a torrent of blue gravimetric energy that enveloped the monster. The villain tried to block the blast, but was blown off of his feet and sent flying._

_Shoji collapsed to the ground from the strain. _

_The four warriors limped back towards each other to regroup. They saw a man in black leather walk towards them. Daigo rolled his hands into fists. "Shadam…" he cursed. _

_Shadam smiled wickedly. "How pathetic you are without your leader." _

_A man in dark armor walked up behind Shadam._

"_Ryou…" Shoji cursed while grinding his teeth. "Bastard traitor!" he yelled as he jumped through the air with is Thunder Sword and Star Cutter and called out "Thunder Bolt Cut!"_

_Shoji swung his energized saber at Ryou. But the traitor caught the blade and slammed a spinning heel kick across the warrior's head. Shoji crashed backward and tumbled across the ground. _

_The other three warriors shouted and charged at Ryou to attack. _

_The traitor smashed both fists against the ground and shouted "Hell Storm!" A ring of fiery energy twirled around him like a cyclone and expanded while tearing apart the landscape and lashing out against the warriors. _

_Shadam smiled. "Well done."_

* * *

_Inside a dark dungeon, the leather-clad powerhouse known as Zydos strapped the warriors onto short stumps while they were on their knees._

"_How could you join the Gorma, Ryou?" Rio asked angrily. "How could you do this to us?"_

_Ryou slammed the back of his fist across Rio's face._

_Shadam smiled as a leather clad women stepped out from behind him. "Poor Dairanger and your whining. At least die with some dignity."_

"_Damn you, Gara!" Daigo yelled._

"_Do it…" Gara said as Zydos readied his sword. _

"_It's not over, Gorma!" Daigo shouted. "This is not the end."_

"_Oh but it is…" Shadam said with a smile as the blade chopped down._

Tommy and Rocky shuttered at the thought of the traitor. Rocky could not imagine someone becoming so evil. For Tommy, Ryou was a harsh reminder of his days as Bandora's Dark Warlord. The traitor was as symbol for everything Tommy loathed about his past.

"Don't worry sensei," Tommy said as he rolled his hands into fists. "Rocky and I will take care of that creep. He'll think twice before he messes with us again."

Kaku shook his head. "No. It's too dangerous. Ryou's Ki is too powerful. He will kill you if you try to fight him."

"But sensei," Tommy said, "You can't take him on alone."

Kaku sighed. It was close to an hour. He was running out of time. "Come with me," he said as he moved down a nearby stairwell. Tommy and Rocky followed.

Kaku opened a door to a dark room. Tommy stepped in behind Kaku. Sensei was out of the room in the blink of an eye, taking Tommy by surprise, and locking the teen inside. "Hey!" Tommy shouted as he pounded on the heavy door. "Let me out!"

Kaku turned to Rocky. "Make sure he doesn't leave. It's for his own safety."

"But…" Rocky was about to argue as Kaku walked off. "Where are you going?"

"To China," Kaku answered.

* * *

Ten minutes passed, and Tommy still pounded on the door. Rocky sat on the ground and leaned on the other side of the door as Tommy shouted. "Come on, Rocky! Let me out!"

Rocky shook his head. A great part of him wanted to let Tommy out. "I'm just doing what Sensei said."

Then Rocky heard glass break inside the room. The knocking stopped. "Tommy?" Rocky asked, but there was no answer. "Tommy, answer me…"

Rocky turned and opened the door. A small, narrow window near the ceiling was shattered. It barely seemed large enough for Tommy to squeeze through.

Tommy stepped out from behind the door and slammed a punch against Rocky's stomach to knock him out. The ranger had broken the glass as a distraction. "Sorry pal," Tommy said. "I have to help the others."

* * *

Ryou stood in a small mountain range in China. The three teens were tied to posts on a cliff above and behind him. Kyonshi guarded the rangers. Ryou stared off in the distance, waiting for his opponent.

The wind around Ryou picked up, scattering dust and pebbles. "He's here…" the villain whispered beneath his mask.

Kaku slowly stepped forward from the horizon. He stood tall and confident.

Ryou smiled beneath his mouthpiece. "It's been a long time, Kaku…"

"Why do you continue to work for evil?" Kaku asked. He was not one to waste time with banter. "Why did you sell your soul to the devil?"

"Did you come all this way to talk or fight?" Ryou said as he unsheathed his sword and stood in a fighting stance. "I turned to evil for the power to overcome death."

"That kind of power is born in the heart, not from evil," Kaku said. He held his hand in front of him, palm open, in a simple defensive posture.

Nearby, Tommy arrived on the scene after teleporting to China. He stayed low behind a row of stone and watched as Kaku and Ryou circled around each other. His gaze drifted up towards his friends. He narrowed his eyes as he saw them chained to posts on the cliff. He stayed low as he moved to help them.

Ryou and Kaku dashed forward in lightning-quick bursts of motion. The streaks clashed against each other and skipped closer to the base of the mountain. They landed several meters away from each other.

Kaku extended his hand and fired an invisible telekinetic burst that tore across the ground, kicking up dirt and rubble. The invisible blast slammed against Ryou, knocking the villain backward.

Ryou was hurled towards the mountainside. He ricocheted off the mountainside and arced back towards Kaku while hurling his sword like a spear.

Kaku kept his hands at his sides and used his Kiryoku to catch the sword in midair. He turned the blade around and shot the weapon forward like a bullet.

Ryou grabbed the blade as he landed on the ground. The Gorma extended his hand and fired a golden burst of energy. Kaku extended his hand and fired a red-tinted burst of energy. The blasts exploded against each other with a massive shockwave that rumbled across the mountain range.

Kaku slowly raised his hands at his sides and levitated a group of heavy boulders. He extended his hand towards Ryou, and the boulders blasted like cannon balls.

Ryou created a wall of moving red-tinted energy blades that blocked and pulverized the boulders.

Ryou made the energy blades rush forward like a wave. The blades darted around Kaku. Kaku dodged most, but the ground erupted from underneath him, tossing the Sensei backward.

Kaku rose back to his feet as Ryou stalked towards him. "You are not as strong as you once were, Kaku."

Above, Tommy moved to free his friends. A Kyonshi jumped on top of the teen. Tommy flipped the soldier to the ground and slammed a punch against the fallen grunt's chest. Tommy stood and spun forward, slamming a sidekick against a second villain's face.

Below, Kaku turned towards the cliff at the sound of the battle. Ryou dashed forward as Kaku was distracted and swiped his blade across Kaku's chest. Kaku fell backward as the blade crossed over him, cutting muscle tissue and breaking ribs.

Kaku collapsed to the ground and called on his power to stop from bleeding to death.

"Sensei!" Tommy shouted as he slammed the back of his fist across a soldier's head and sidekicked the soldier away.

Tommy leapt off the cliff and armed his morphers. "Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around him as he leapt downward and morphed into his armor.

Dragon Ranger landed and darted forward to attack Ryou.

The Gorma extended his hand and fired a jagged-crimson leash of energy that lashed around Dragon Ranger, exploded against his armor, and tightened like chains. Ryou used the crackling energy leash to drag the Red Ranger forward as explosions tore across his armor.

Ryou sent another energy pulse through the energy leash. The pulse exploded against Dragon Ranger's armor with a violent flash of lightning and flame that tossed him backward.

Tommy rolled across the ground, his armor forcibly demorphing. Steam rose from Tommy's chest as he struggled to rise to his feet.

Ryou stalked towards Tommy with his blade extended. The Gorma moved closer and extended his blade towards Tommy's throat. An evil glimmer shined in the Gorma's eye. "How fitting….die."

Ryou lifted his sword, prepared to deliver the finishing blow.

"Ryou, stop…" Kaku struggled to shout, his hand over his injured chest as he tried to rise from the ground. "He's your son!"

The sword stopped an inch from Tommy's face. Tommy opened his eyes wide, staring at the face of his attacker. Ryou dropped the sword and took a step backward in shock.

"You know it's true, Ryou…remember?" Kaku said.

Ryou turned away, his cape drifting around him as he blinked away. Tommy slowly rose to his feet, bile in his throat as he shook his head. His eyes were glued to where the Gorma had stood. "Not him…" he said under his breath. "Please God, not him…"

* * *

The five rangers gathered back at the lair. Kaku sat on his small platform as Tommy paced back and forth, his body tense. "It's a lie, Kaku! How can that old fossil of a traitor be my father? It's not possible."

Kaku's voice remained calm. "He may have joined the Gorma 6,000 years ago, but around 20 years ago he married your mother, giving birth to you."

"It's a lie!" Tommy shouted. "My father died when I was four!" It had to be a lie, he told himself. If he was the son of….a Gorma, what did that mean for his future? Tommy was already consumed with guilt over his actions as the Green Dragon Ranger. Now to learn that he was sired from a man who murdered his own team?

Tommy had doubted his ability to lead. Now his position as a Ranger frightened him. What if he became evil again and hurt Kimberly? What if more people he cared about died?

Kaku shook his head. "No. He rejoined the Gorma. It was the Gorma who secretly killed your mother in order to lure Ryou back to them. Before he left, he asked me to watch after his children, so I saw to it that you were adopted by a good families."

_The best_, Tommy thought to himself as he fought back the tears.

Kaku stood and stepped towards Tommy. The sensei placed two hands firmly on the ranger's shoulders. The teen shrugged him off. "It's a lie! My father was a good man! I won't believe it!"

Tommy fled from the room. The other rangers went to follow, but Kaku stopped them. "He needs time to be alone," Kaku said.

* * *

Tommy stood at a rocky shore that looked out across the ocean. The waves splashed against the stones. He sighed to himself. _This is crazy_, he thought. His mind was flooded with questions and doubt. Anger_. It can't be possible_, he tried to convince himself.

A small gust of wind came from behind Tommy, causing a chill to creep along the teen's spine. Tommy turned and narrowed his eyes. "Ryou…" he said through a clenched jaw, trying to stop his shoulders from shaking.

The dark-armored Gorma stood on the rocky shore and stared at Tommy. "Tommy…" he said, as if finally convincing himself of the truth about the ranger. "My son…"

"No!" Tommy shouted. "It's a lie! I'm not your son!"

Tommy glared silently at the Gorma. Ryou narrowed his eyes in a similar fashion before turning, his cape whirling around as he started to walk away.

"Wait!" Tommy shouted as Ryou stopped. "If you're really my father…why did you join the Gorma? And why did you marry my mother?"

Tommy had to know. If it was true, he had to know what could lead someone with his blood to willingly turn evil.

Ryou ignored the ranger and walked away, his body blinking out of sight. Tommy's mind flashed back to the Dark Man he first met after losing his Green Ranger powers the first time.

_Tommy sat by Bear Lake and threw stones into the water. A man dressed in a dark trench coat walked up behind him._

"_Can I help you?" Tommy stood and turned around to face the man._

_The Dark Man shook his head. "No…but maybe I can help you. It must be hard…"_

"_What are you talking about?" Tommy asked as he wrinkled his brow._

"_Losing your powers," the Dark Man said. "The Dragon Ranger is no more."_

"_Who are you?" Tommy asked. He rolled his hands into fists. "One of Bandora's goons?"_

_The dark-haired man laughed. "Oh, Tommy. Your true war goes far beyond your little conflict with Bandora."_

"_Who are you? I'm not going to ask again!"_

"_So much anger, Tommy…just like your father…"_

"_What?!"_

"_I must be going." The man stepped behind a tree. Tommy followed the man behind the tree, but he was gone._

* * *

Back in the Gorma's warehouse, Daizojo Riju was blasting Ryou with a barrage of crimson lightning. The Gorma's body convulsed on the ground as pain surged through his body like white-hot flames. The attack was punishment for letting Tommy live.

Gara snickered as she leaned back against a tall pile of crates, her arms crossed over her chest. "Your tool wasn't as effective as you thought," Gara said with a smile.

Shadam agreed. "What will you do next?" He was anxious for the Gorma priest to fail and leave.

Archbishop Saw lowered his hand and ended his attack. The Archbishop turned towards the Triumvirate and placed his hand in front of his face. The Archbishop's body rippled as his skin turned to iron. He transformed into his monster form. His face was thin and metallic with the traditional Gorma third eye, and he still wore his white robes, only the shoulders of these robes had saw blade extensions. A large saw blade pointed up from his back.

"It's not out of my hands yet, Shadam," Archbishop Saw said. He armed a saw-blade sword and slashed through a support beam to display his power.

The Gorma Triumvirate was not impressed.

* * *

Billy, Kimberly, Rocky, and Adam sat around a table at the Metro Pool Hall in Angel Grove Central. Their drinks and food sat untouched. None of them felt like eating. Their mood was somber.

Kimberly sighed. "How can we fight him if he's Tommy's father? And how do we know if it's even true."

Adam shook his head. "We don't have any reason to disbelieve sensei. It has to be true."

"It just seems so weird," Rocky added. "This Ryouyo or whatever his name is is over 6,000 years old!"

Billy nodded. "It must be a result of his Kiryoku. Sensei is just as old. Perhaps frequent channeling of The Power allows for a longer life span."

"He's still Tommy's father," Kimberly said.

The teens noticed Tommy move closer to the table. He had entered from the back of the room and overheard their conversation. He laid a hand on Kimberly's shoulder and smiled, trying his best to deny the truth. "It's okay, Kim. He's not my dad. And we can beat that traitor if we work together."

The teens said nothing, not knowing how to respond. Their communicators toned, breaking the awkward silence.

* * *

Tommy and the other teens ran against a crowd of people fleeing in panic on the streets of Angel Grove. Explosions sparked around them, but they could not see any attacker.

"This isn't odd at all," Rocky said sarcastically.

"Power Rangers…" the Archbishop's voice said from nowhere, echoing off of buildings.

A dark mist suddenly surrounded the teens. The mist clouded their vision and teleported them away to a barren valley. The ground was littered with skulls.

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "Who's there!" he shouted. He was not in the mood for games.

Archbishop Saw appeared in his monster form and hovered towards the rangers with a saw-blade sword in each hand. Tommy and the others snapped into fighting stances as the villain landed. "I am Daizojo Riju, the master of Ryou."

Ryou stepped forward on a cliff above and stared down at the rangers. His cape flowed around his body in artificial wind.

Tommy rolled his hands into fists and glared at the Gorma Archbishop with eyes like daggers. "Let's go, metal head!"

Tommy and the others rushed towards Archbishop Saw as they armed their braces. "Aura Power!" they shouted as energy shimmered around them and they morphed into their Ranger forms.

Dragon Ranger leapt through the air to attack. He unsheathed his Thunder Sword and Star Cutter. "Thunderbolt Cut!" he shouted as the blades radiated with cyan energy.

Dragon Ranger landed while swinging both blades down towards the monster's head. But the Gorma used one saw blade to block the blow and slashed his other sword across Dragon Ranger's chest. Explosions sparked across the Red Ranger's armor as he tumbled backward.

Dragon Ranger slammed his fist to the ground with frustration and rose back to his feet. "Let's hit him together, guys!"

The Rangers stood in formation and lifted their hands towards the air. They each gathered spheres of cyan energy between their palms. "Kiryoku, Bomber!" they shouted as they hurled the energy spheres forward. The spheres combined into a single, golden energy blast that that streaked towards Archbishop Saw.

The Gorma monster caught the energy blast in his palm, and its energy still crackled with fierce power. "Nice try."

The Gorma amplified the blast and shot it back at the Rangers. The blast exploded against the Rangers with a massive explosion that tore up the ground and ripped across their armor with near-blinding sparks.

The Rangers were thrown backward and went skidding across the ground as their armor forcibly demorphed. Ryou leapt down from the cliff and stood at his master's side. Strange emotions surfaced within the villain as he watched his son and the rangers struggle to rise.

Archbishop Saw stalked towards the fallen teens, laughing as he transformed back into his human guise. The Gorma walked towards Tommy and lifted him by the neck. "Dragon Ranger…" he hissed.

Tommy narrowed his eyes at the man. The ranger slammed a kick against the Gorma's side. Archbishop Saw dropped Tommy but extended his hand and fired a pulse of crimson lightning that slammed against the teen and sent him skidding against the ground while sending volts of energy burning through his body.

"You are weak…" Archbishop Saw spat.

Tommy ignored the crippling pain and rose back to his feet. "We'll see who's wea-"

Archbishop Saw fired another pulse that wrapped around Tommy, sending burning waves of agony through his body. The Archbishop used the energy leash to skid Tommy across the ground. The teen had never felt such pain.

The ranger tried to hold in his screams. But he couldn't resist. Maybe it was instinct. He called out to his father for help. "Dad!"

"Shut up!" Archbishop Saw yelled as he increased the voltage. Tommy was thrown backward against a cliff and crumpled to the ground. The Archbishop could have killed the teen at any moment with a single strike, but preferred playing with his prey.

"Dad…" Tommy cried again, only more weakly. He was losing his strength.

Tommy's cries for help touched something deep inside Ryou. Something he thought had died long ago. The black-armored Gorma unsheathed his blade and ran the sword across the Archbishop's back, ripping through muscle and bone.

"Bastard…" Archbishop Saw snarled as he turned towards Ryou and blasted him with a massive burst of crimson power. Ryou stood his ground and inched closer to the Archbishop as explosions tore across his dark armor.

Ryou called upon all his strength and pierced his sword through the Archbishop's chest. Archbishop Saw screamed with pain and fired another energy blast that ripped through Ryou's armor, sending the villain stumbling backward and crashing to the ground.

His body broken, Ryou rose to his feet and extended his hand, blasting Archbishop Saw with an invisible pulse of telekinetic energy. The Archbishop was hurled backward and sent tumbling across the cliffs, heading out of sight into the far off distance.

Ryou crumbled to the ground.

"Dad!" Tommy shouted, his body bruised and battered as he ran to his father's side. He leaned down to his father and lifted him slightly up by the back. "Dad…" he whispered. "Is it really you?"

Ryou removed his mask. The face, strong and edged, sparked memories in Tommy's mind. He remembered his father's face on the beach. Laughing with his mother. So full of life. What had happened? To both of them?

"Dad…" he said hoarsely, tears streaming down his face.

Ryou placed his hand on Tommy's. "I'm sorry…" he struggled to say. Every breath pained him.

The other teens slowly gathered around but kept their distance. "Ryou…" they heard a chorus of four voices say from the distance. Four spheres of light streamed down from the heavens. The spheres hovered at Ryou's side and transformed into four spirits: the spirits of the former Dairanger.

Ryou looked over to his former teammates, and the guilt became as unbearable as his approaching death. "Do you forgive me…?"

The Dairanger nodded in unison.

Ryou tilted his head back towards his son. "An-…Tommy. Bring out your Thunder Gems…they have hidden power…"

Tommy reached into his back pocket and slowly pulled out his red gem. The other four teens did the same. Ryou placed his hand over his son's Thunder Gem and held on tightly. The four spirits placed their hands over the other rangers' gems.

The Thunder Gems glowed in unison. The rangers felt the power emanate from the gems.

Ryou's hand fell back onto his chest. "You now have the power to summon Dairenou…The MegaThunderzord." His body started to tremble as life left him. "I love you…son…"

Ryou's body vanished and transformed into a shining sphere of crimson light. The other four spirits swirled into balls of light, and all five streaked towards the heavens in unison. Tommy watched as his father vanished.

"Dad…" he said quietly.

Kimberly walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. She wasn't sure what to say. None of the teens were. Tommy placed his hand on Kimberly's and gave a gentle squeeze. What had happened to his father? What?

A loud explosion suddenly shook the earth. A giant-sized Archbishop Saw suddenly rose in the distance. The Gorma was in his iron monster form, his one eye staring down at the gathered rangers with intense hate.

Tommy glared at the Gorma and rose to his feet. A renewed strength flooded through his system. "Let's take care of business, guys!" he shouted, staring up at the monster while he and the others readied their braces. "It's morphin' time!"

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted together as energy flashed around their bodies and they morphed into their Ranger forms.

They unsheathed their Thunder Swords and held the blades into the air while holding their Heaven-Star Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The five Thunderzords appeared in the distance. The red-armored Dragon and Phoenix swooped through the air while the Lion, Tenma, and Kirin charged forward. The Rangers used their blasters like grapplers and reeled into their zord's cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with Archbishop Saw.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he called out. "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords changed shape and reconfigured as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold-and-black helmet slid into place.

The Rangers joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

The Archbishop armed his twin saw blades and charged forward to attack. "You think you're safe inside that tin can, Rangers?!"

The Rangers waited for Archbishop Saw to move in closer. Then in a single movement, Dairenou unsheathed its sword and slashed upward across the Gorma, knocking the villain's weapons aside and slashing across the monster's body with explosions sparking on impact.

The MegaThunderzord dashed forward while running its blade through the monster's midsection, then turned and slashed a diagonal blow downward across the Gorma. Archbishop Saw was knocked backward and went tumbling across the ground.

The villain slowly rose to his feet as the Rangers prepared to deliver the final blow.

"MegaThunderzord Saber, Lightning Slash!" the Rangers shouted. The saber radiated with crackling yellow energy and slashed downward through a streak of power. The blade cut clean through the Gorma.

Archbishop Saw fell backward, his body ripped in half, and his energy overloaded and exploded.

Dairenou slid its blade into its holster as the sun set in the distance.

* * *

Tommy sat on the edge of a cliff as the sun set in the distance. He looked out upon the ocean below as the other rangers sat with him. Kimberly placed a hand on his shoulder. "It will be okay…"

Rocky nodded. "They'll pay, Tommy…we'll do it together."

Kaku watched from a distance and nodded with approval. _They've become stronger together_, he thought to himself. The sensei turned and walked away.

**To be continued…**


	6. Kujaku

**Kujaku**

A television showed a scene of devastation. A Gorma attack had damaged an area of Angel Grove East. A three-story building was demolished and spilled onto the streets. News reporter Lyn Holtkamp was among the debris with a microphone in hand.

"I'm at the 1700 block of Madison Avenue, and things are chaotic," she said. The 1700s were known for high-class neighborhood businesses. "Just hours ago, another attack on the region was made by the so-called Power Rangers. This is the largest death toll to date due to the fact that many citizens were unable to make it to the shelters in time.

"With me now, is a survivor of the attack. Sir, can you explain to us what you saw happen?"

An older man shook his head. "It was terrible. I was sitting at my shop across the street…and all of a sudden the windows just…broke in and I was thrown out of my chair. At first I thought it was a bomb or something…but it was worse."

Lynn spoke with another survivor. It was a lady in tears. "I can't find my baby…"

* * *

Adam shut off the television in his father's living room. He could not stand watching news reports of his Ranger battles. His younger brother Franklin looked over to Adam with a wrinkled brow. "What did ya do that for?"

"He's probably as sick of hearing about these Rangers as his father," Adam's dad said from the kitchen table.

Adam sighed with frustration. He was not in the mood for another skirmish with his father. The teen decided to just get out of the house for a while.

* * *

Adam sat on the edge of a cliff that looked out onto Eagle Lake. He was in a meditative position with his eyes closed, something Kaku had taught all the rangers. He took a deep breath and tried to concentrate, but his mind was still fixed on the news report. It was the first time a Gorma attack had resulted in massive casualties and death.

_All those people_, he thought to himself. _Gone…dead. Why couldn't we save them?_

Suddenly, in his mind's eye, he was surrounded by a strange fog, and through the fog flew a mystical peacock. It was the most beautiful and mysterious animal Adam had ever seen.

A rainbow of colors shot from the peacock and enveloped Adam. Then his eyes snapped open and the vision stopped. _What was that all about?_

* * *

Night had fallen over California. A young lady walked through the streets of Angel Grove East and stopped to admire herself in a mirror. The mirror's surface suddenly rippled as a large tongue reached out and snatched her. The tongue sucked the girl into the mirror.

* * *

The five teens gathered in the lair the next day. They waited for Kaku to return while talking amongst themselves.

"A mirror that snatches up chicks?" Rocky said with disbelief. "No way."

"Way," Billy said. "I saw it on the news."

Rocky rolled his eyes. "Because everything you see on TV is real," he said sarcastically.

"I'm telling you, Rocky," Billy said, "that Lynn Holtkamp reporter said this thing is swallowing up girls."

Tommy crossed his arms over his chest. "The Gorma could be behind this. It's no more crazy than soul stealers and killer dolls."

The rear door to the lair slid open as Kaku stepped in. "Tommy is right," the Sensei said as he took a seat on his short platform. "The Gorma are behind this. That mirror…is a Gorma creature called Kagami Keshoshi, meaning Master Mirror. When women stop to gaze at their reflection in the mirror, Kagami Keshoshi absorbs them and uses their energy to strengthen himself."

"Pervert," Rocky said.

"6,000 years ago," Kaku continued. "Kagami Keshoshi fought against the chosen warrior of the Peacock Buddha, Kujaku."

This grabbed Adam's attention, reminding him of the vision from the cliff.

"Kujaku was a skilled warrior who fought alongside the Dai Tribe against the Gorma," Kaku explained. "Her grace and agility equaled her strength and courage."

Adam smiled to himself. The warrior woman seemed impressive to him.

"After her last battle with Kagami Keshoshi, she disappeared. Rumors said that Kagami Keshoshi absorbed her and she still lives inside him."

* * *

The sun was setting across the horizon of Angel Grove East, casting a golden-red hue across the towering skyscrapers. A young man wearing a suit was walking home from work with a suitcase in hand after an exhausting day.

He stopped by a tall silver mirror leaning against a wall. He looked at his reflection and fixed his disheveled hair. The mirror started to ripple like a pebble in a pond. A tongue lashed around the man and dragged him inside of the mirror.

The mirror shuttered. The glass spat the man out, and he went stumbling across the pavement. The mirror shifted shape and assumed its true form, a Gorma monster. The creature's body was made mostly of crystal shards. A large shining mirror took up most of the center of the monster's body. The typical Gorma third eye was above the mirror. He was Kagami Keshoshi, but the media would call him Shard.

The man rushed to his feet and screamed.

"What kind of century is it when a man stops to look at himself in the mirror?" the Gorma asked as the young man screamed and ran away.

The Gorma Triumvirate blinked to the scene and stepped towards the Gorma monster. "What do you think you are doing?" Shadam asked.

Shard shook his head. "This stupid man…"

"We need all the energy possible!" Zydos shouted. "You'll have to absorb men too."

Shard sighed with frustration. What kind of twisted world was he in?

* * *

The rangers split up in the city to look for the Gorma's latest threat. They focused on the area where the disappearances were reported. Adam was on top of a tall building that looked out upon the bustling city streets of Angel Grove East.

The teen spotted a glimmer of reflection come from below. A mirror had sucked in a woman from the streets. Adam sprinted towards the roof exit.

* * *

On the street below, the mirror finished consuming a girl. Passersby who saw the act ran with panic, vacating the streets.

Adam ran to the scene just as the ripples in the mirror settled. The teen executed a flying sidekick that slammed against the mirror. His kick bounced off the mirror, and Adam flipped backward, landing on his feet.

The mirror lashed out with its tongue. The tongue wrapped around the teen and started to tighten. He managed to connect his wrist braces. "Aura Power!" Green energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his armor.

Lion Ranger's arms were pinned to his side by the tongue. Lion Ranger grabbed his Thunder Blaster and tilted the weapon towards the monster.

"Thunder Blaster!" he shouted, firing bursts of green energy that exploded against the mirror with a shower of sparks.

The mirror fell from the wall and reverted into its monster form. The Gorma tumbled forward before rising to his feet.

Shard stepped back towards a fence of brick and iron and leapt over it, flipping through the air and landing on a plaza area below. Lion Ranger followed, leaping over the fence and landing on the plaza as citizens ran in panic. The plaza was paved with slick concrete bricks. Trees, bushes, and grass surrounded the edge of the concrete.

The Gorma snapped into a fighting stance. "I am the Gorma Kagami Keshoshi!"

Lion Ranger snapped into his own fighting stance. "Lion Ranger! Heaven Illusion Star, Green!"

The opponents charged at one another. Lion Ranger launched a flying spinning heel kick towards the Gorma's head. Shard ducked under the blow as Lion Ranger landed at the Gorma's side.

The Green Ranger slammed a round kick against the Gorma and followed with a backfist strike. Shard knocked the Ranger's arm away and slammed the back of his fist across Lion Ranger's helmet twice. The Gorma pressed forward with two punches beneath the Ranger's ribs, knocking the Ranger backward.

The Green Ranger tumbled backward across the ground and rolled back into a crouched position. Lion Ranger sprang back through the air to attack.

"Light Flash!" Shard shouted as a bolt of light shot from his chest and exploded against Lion Ranger's armor with a burst of spark, knocking the Ranger from the air. The Green Ranger crashed to the ground.

"Light Flash Storm!" Shard shouted. Lights flashed from the Gorma like strobe lights. The light exploded all across the Ranger, blasting him backward, sending him skidding across the ground.

The other Rangers arrived on the scene as if from nowhere.

"Tenma Screw Kick!"

"Kirin Crash!"

Tenma Ranger leapt forward with a flying screw kick as Kirin Ranger jumped forward with a flying head-but. The attacks slammed against Shard and knocked the Gorma off balance.

Phoenix Ranger leapt forward and extended her hand. "Cyclone!" A pink-energy cyclone surrounded Shard and knocked the Gorma over, sending him tumbling across the ground.

Shard rose back to his feet as Dragon Ranger thrust his hand towards the villain. "Fire Stream!" The stream of flame exploded against Shard with a burst of spark that knocked him off his feet.

The five Rangers regrouped as Shard stumbled back to his feet. "We'll meet again…Lion Ranger…"

The villain blinked out of the plaza.

Lion Ranger narrowed his eyes behind his visor. He had noticed a faint glow as the Gorma teleported away. A faint rainbow-colored aura. "Kujaku…?" he said quietly.

The other four Rangers heard him and stepped towards Lion Ranger. Tenma Ranger tilted his head. "Are you alright?"

Lion Ranger nodded. "Did you guys see that?" he asked. "A rainbow."

Tenma Ranger shook his head. "Maybe you got it harder than you thought."

* * *

Hours later, Shard was back in the city streets and launching a massive attack. Bursts of light shot from his mirror and blasted through city buildings, pulverizing concrete and shattering windows.

The villain crossed over a pedestrian bridge and continued the assault, blasting at every object and person in sight.

* * *

Adam had always possessed an over-active imagination, he reminded himself. But something about the rainbow light seemed real. He sensed a presence in that light. It was the same feeling that overwhelmed him when Sensei spoke of Kujaku.

The teen sat on his cliff in a meditative pose. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths to try and clear his mind. But thoughts of Kujaku lingered. _Come on Kujaku…where are you?_

Adam snapped his eyes open as he heard a peacock fly by. The bird was real. It was not a vision. Adam rose to his feet and knitted his brow with confusion as he looked up to the bird.

The peacock spread its wing and showered down rainbow light. Adam instinctively covered his face with his arms as the light enveloped him. The light pulsed with a brilliant glow, and Adam vanished.

The ranger was sent tumbling down a tunnel of rainbow energy. He somehow knew the destination. And the intent. _I'm coming Kujaku_…Adam thought to himself.

* * *

Shard laughed and prepared to launch his next attack as Kyonshi gathered around him. The grunts were anxious to eliminate any leftovers.

Before the villain could strike, a rainbow pulse of energy flashed and hurled Adam forward. The ranger slammed a flying sidekick against Shard that knocked the Gorma backward, sending him tumbling across the ground.

Adam landed and snapped into a fighting stance, his left palm held forward.

Kyonshi gathered around Shard and helped the villain to his feet. "You again…"

"I'm taking you out, Gorma," Adam said firmly as he readied his wrist braces. "Chakra ignite! Aura Power!" Green energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

"Kyonshi!" Shard shouted. The grunts charged forward with staffs and sabers in their hands.

"Lion Staff!" Lion Ranger armed his weapon and charged forward towards the oncoming wave of soldiers.

The Green Ranger spun forward and bashed the end of his staff across a grunt's head. Continuing the spin, he moved low and cracked the legs out from underneath a second soldier.

Lion Ranger twirled the staff back into a defensive stance as Kyonshi surrounded him and pounced forward at once. He swung his staff to the left and then right, the ends of his staff spearing against two soldiers' faces.

A Kyonshi swung his blade towards the Green Ranger's head. Lion Ranger turned and knocked the saber aside while slamming a reverse crescent kick across the grunt's head.

"Fang Attack!" Lion Ranger shouted as lines of jade-tinted energy etched across his staff. He swung his staff in a blur of green motion, batting aside soldiers, crushing their bones and smashing their skulls.

Shard armed a broadsword and sprinted towards Lion Ranger.

Lion Ranger swung his staff high and low towards Shard, but the Gorma parried both strikes. Shard twisted his wrist and swung his sword towards the Ranger's head. Lion Ranger twisted the center of his staff to block the blow. Lion Ranger and Shard pushed their weapons against each other.

The Green Ranger knocked the broadsword away and spun away from the villain. Lion Ranger stepped back into a fighting stance and faced the Gorma.

The two dashed sideways while keeping their bodies facing each other. The opponents kept dashing, each waiting for the perfect time to strike.

The opponents sprang towards each other and clashed against each other. Their weapons clashed as they passed each other in midair.

The opponents landed back-to-back. They turned towards each other, and Shard struck first.

"Light Flash Storm!" the Gorma shouted. Bright pulses of light flashed across Lion Ranger and exploded against his armor with a violent burst of sparks. The Ranger shot backward and skid across the ground. He rolled back into a crouched position and looked up to see the Gorma charging forward.

Lion Ranger rose to his feet and placed his right fist against his left palm. The lion eyes on his helmet flashed with pale-green light. "Heaven Illusion Star! Mist Concealment Destruction!"

Lion Ranger extended his hand and fired a cloud of mist. The mist enveloped Shard, surrounding him with darkness and gray fog. "Where am I?" The Gorma lost sight of the Ranger. His eye darted back and forth.

"Light Flash!" Shard shouted. The villain launched a burst of light into the mist.

The light blast reflected back from inside the mist and exploded against the monster.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Lion Ranger shouted as he leapt through the mist with a mirror in his hands. The other four Rangers also stepped forward from the mist. They each carried their own mirror and surrounded the villain.

"Light Flash!" the Gorma shouted again. The blast reflected from a Ranger's mirror and exploded against the villain.

Shard readied his sword and attempted a new attack. "Split Attack!" The Rangers' vision split, and they suddenly saw five different copies of Shard that started spinning.

Each image of Shard swung its blade forward, slashing across the Rangers' armor, blades sparking upon impact.

_Adam…_ Lion Ranger heard a voice say in his mind. Shard continued chopping his blade across the Rangers' armor.

_Kujaku… _Lion Ranger thought as the blade slashed against his armor. …_Is that you?_

_Look for the sign, Adam… _the voice said. _I will show you who to fight. _

Lion Ranger watched closely as the different images of Shard circled around. The Green Ranger noticed that one of the images emitted a strange rainbow glow. "That's the one…" he said as he narrowed his eyes beneath his visor.

"Thunder Staff Blade!" Lion Ranger shouted. He armed his staff as green lightning energized at its tip. A two-pronged blade materialized on the end of the staff.

Lion Ranger hurled the staff forward. The staff speared against the Gorma's chest, shattering his mirror. The illusion dissipated as Shard went stumbling across the ground.

The villain slowly rose to his feet and pulled out a spherical enlargement grenade. He pulled the round pin off and tossed the grenade against the ground. The bomb exploded, and Shard absorbed the energy from the explosion, using it to grow giant.

The Rangers unsheathed their Thunder Swords and lifted the blades into the air while holding their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The five Thunderzords appeared and charged over the landscape. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with Shard.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he shouted. "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords started to change shape and reconfigure as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold-and-black helmet slid into place.

The Rangers joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

"Light Flash!" Shard launched a volley of light blasts that exploded against the MegaThunderzord with bursts of spark.

The MegaThunderzord stepped forward through the explosions and unsheathed its curved saber. MegaThunderzord slashed downward in an x-shaped pattern, its blade sparking upon impact.

Shard crashed backward and stumbled across the ground. The Gorma slowly pulled himself back up to his feet.

"MegaThunderzord Saber!" the Rangers shouted together. "Lightning Slash!"

The Megazord's blade crackled with yellow energy as Dairenou raised the sword. Dairenou swung downward with a powerful chop that tore through Shard's body, ripping him apart and shattering his mirror. The Gorma fell backward, its energy overloading and exploding with a rolling ball of flame.

* * *

On the shores of the Eagle Lake, the women that Shard had captured materialized onto the ground. They slowly rose to their knees and feet as they regained consciousness. Their bodies were weak, but they would survive.

The rangers demorphed and ran to the shore to help the injured to their feet. Adam searched frantically, his eyes passing over each of the girls. He was certain he would have seen Kujaku. "She has to be here…"

A burst of rainbow-colored light flashed nearby. When the light faded, a young beautiful woman appeared. The female warrior wore a slim bodysuit of red and blue, covered with pieces of golden armor. A fan of blue-tinted metal feathers extended on the left side of her back like a peacock.

"You…" Adam said softly as he gazed at her.

"I am Kujaku," she said in a stern voice. "After 6,000 years, I am ready to fight again."

"Was that you I felt?" Adam asked. "You who was calling me?"

She smiled and nodded at him. "We are connected through our Kiryoku," she said. "I've been waiting for 6,000 years for someone like you..."

* * *

Kujaku and Adam walked through one of Angel Grove East's flower gardens. The other teens kept their distance and watched while standing partially behind a nearby tree.

Kujaku leaned down and smelled the fragrance of a nearby flower. A flock of pigeons were on the ground nearby. Kujaku let them feed from her hand, smiling at the elegance of the life around her.

Adam watched her and smiled in wonderment.

Rocky tried to suppress a snicker. "Looks like our little Lion Ranger is head over heels."

Kimberly elbowed him in the ribs. "Shh."

"Kujaku," Adam said as he sat in a crouched position beside her. "How did you get trapped inside that thing?"

Kujaku's gaze became distant, but Adam noticed fire in her eyes. She stood and looked away from the teen as she thought back to that day, 6,000 years ago. "I was fighting against the Gorma," she said. "I managed to injure Gara and chase her down. She finally fell after running for a long while. She was too weak to continue further.

"When I saw her…I pitied her. She could barely breathe or move. I leaned down next to her and tried to help with her injuries. She stopped me and asked me why I was helping her when I should be fighting her. I told her I had no wish to see her personally harmed. I just wanted the war to end.

"Gara actually apologized for the pain and destruction that she had caused. She asked for some water, and I moved to a nearby pond to retrieve some. I looked at my reflection in the pond. I had no way of knowing it was Shard in disguise. That Gorma creature sucked me inside. Gara had been faking. I fell into her trap."

Adam placed a hand on her shoulder to console her. "I'm sorry…"

A strong wind suddenly blew through the garden area. The pigeons flocked away. Adam and Kujaku snapped to attention. Kujaku in particular felt a very familiar and evil presence.

Kujaku grabbed one of her razor-sharp feathers and hurled it at a tree. Gara materialized right next to the feather. The Gorma laughed mockingly at the sight of her old foe.

"Gara!" Kujaku shouted as she snapped three feather blades at the Gorma.

Gara extended her hand and used her power to make a wall of dashing energy blades. Kujaku's feather darts exploded against the wall of energy blades. Kujaku rolled to the side and snapped another volley of darts that Gara used her energy wall to deflect. The resulting explosions scattered a group of animals in the area.

Adam ran to Kujaku and tried to stop her. Her attacks were sloppy, not what Adam expected, and scaring the wildlife. "Stop!" he pleaded.

Kujaku pushed Adam aside hard, her eyes sharper than her daggers as she glared at Gara. "You don't know what it's like to be trapped for 6,000 years, Adam…"

Gara blinked away.

"Gara!" Kujaku shouted as she sprang forward and leapt through the air. Fiery energy, shaped like a bird, surrounded her body as she streaked through the skies in pursuit of her foe.

"Kujaku!" Adam called after her.

The other rangers ran over to Adam's side. "Are you okay?" Tommy asked.

Adam shook his head. "No."

* * *

Valley Park in Angel Grove East was a low field of grass surrounded by rolling, grassy hills. Trees dotted the landscape in certain locations. People were enjoying the warm weather while picnicking or flying kites.

No one noticed a strange creature walk by. His body was made of rotting plant vines. He watched everyone through a single eye on his head. He was Sakura Shishaku, Baron Sakura.

Sakura grinned, exposing razor-sharp teeth between vine-like lips. "Perfect…" he hissed as he closed his eyes. The villain released a cloud of spores into the air from various pores on his body.

Civilians unknowingly inhaled the spores. The spores released chemicals inside of their hosts' bodies that quickly caused maddening rage. People throughout the park started attacking each other brutally for no reason. The spores were feeding off the people's animal instincts.

Sakura smiled as he watched the carnage.

* * *

Adam walked aimlessly down the streets of Angel Grove. He tried to get Kujaku off his mind, but failed. Adam sighed, his shoulders hunched over. He could not get the exotic warrior out of his mind. His wrist communicator started beeping. "This is Adam," he answered after he ducked down an alley.

"Adam, this is Billy. Get downtown right away. Things are going crazy."

Adam nodded. "I'm on my way."

* * *

The five teens arrived at the downtown streets of Angel Grove East. People were trying to kill each other at random. They tossed newspaper bins at each other. They swung their fists. Some people had pocket knives. Others used bats or umbrellas to club each other. The rangers moved in and tried to stop anyone from getting hurt.

Rocky tried to calm a man tackling an older woman, but after he saved the lady, she started beating him with her cane. "Maybe its something in the water…"

Tommy pulled a 10-year-old boy off of an older man. "I'll bet you anything it's the Gorma."

"Either that or they canceled Friends," Rocky said as he was hit across the face.

Kujaku watched the carnage from a nearby rooftop. She caught a small floating petal in her hand. She recognized the petal as a spore from the Gorma called Sakura. She wrinkled her brow and watched the madness spread below.

Kujaku pulled out a small, light feather and tossed it towards the crowd below. The feather struck a man in the chest, causing him to pass out from a wave of pain.

Adam looked up and saw Kujaku toss another feather downward. "What are you doing?" he shouted up to her.

"They are under Sakura's influence," Kujaku answered.

Kujaku tossed another feather towards an attacking man below. Adam leapt in front of the feather's path and took the hit in his upper right chest. He winced in pain and pulled the feather from his body before running towards the building that Kujaku stood on.

Adam ran up the winding fire escape while nursing his injured arm. The pain of the feather dart had spread down that limb. The teen arrived at the roof and moved over to Kujaku. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Enough people have been hurt already…"

She ignored Adam and looked back towards the edge of the roof.

"Kujaku, you have to stop," he said as he walked towards her.

"Get away from me," Kujaku said as she pulled out her two daggers.

"Please…" Adam said, but Kujaku shook her head.

"You can't understand, Adam," she said. "You haven't been through what I have." Kujaku vanished, leaving Adam standing alone.

* * *

The teens gathered in the lair as Kimberly helped them dress their wounds. They were cut and bruised from the mad crowd.

"It's a mad house out there," Rocky said. "And Kujaku wasn't helping things…no offense, Adam."

Adam nodded but said nothing. His gaze was distant. Although he barely knew Kujaku, he knew she was a good person. But to see her hurt innocent people…

Kaku stood from his platform with his arms crossed behind his back. "In the past, Kujaku was the kindest and gentlest of all people. But after being trapped for 6,000 years, I believe that is no longer the case."

"Well," Tommy said, "We need to find this Sakura guy and stop him before even more people get hurt."

The rangers left the lair through the main wooden door, but Kaku stopped Adam on the way out. "Adam," he said. "No matter what your personal feelings for Kujaku are, you must be prepared to stop her if necessary. She can not be allowed to injure anyone else."

Adam nodded but said nothing.

* * *

Sakura walked around the park laughing while people around him went berserk, smashing their fists against each other. The Gorma reveled in causing chaos.

Kujaku appeared nearby and unsheathed her daggers from her back. Sakura licked his lips at the sight of her. "Kujaku…it's been a long time."

"Where's Gara?" Kujaku asked.

"I'm here, Kujaku," Gara said as she stepped forward from behind a tree. Her fencing-type saber was in hand. "Now where were we?"

The opponents raised their weapons and started circling around each other. They eyed each others' stances, looking for weaknesses in defense postures.

Gara dug her heel into the ground and rushed forward. Kujaku returned the charge. Gara chopped her blade down towards Kujaku, but Kujaku used a backhand swing with her left dagger to slap the sword aside while stabbing her right dagger forward.

Gara spun and brought her blade around to block the blow. Their weapons clashed against each other as the opponents pushed forward, grinding their blades together as they glared at each other.

Kujaku kicked Gara away and leapt backward, gaining distance from the Gorma. Gara extended her hand and fired a crackling sphere of dark-purple energy that shot towards Kujaku. Kujaku rolled for cover as the sphere exploded around her with a burst of flame and spark.

Kujaku rolled up into a crouched position and extended her dagger towards a nearby bench. "Ki!" she shouted, firing an invisible telekinetic blast that shot the bench towards Gara.

Gara shattered the bench, splintering and shattering wood with her sword. The Gorma opened her jaw and spat spheres of flame.

Kujaku used her Ki as a shield, and the flames exploded around her with a near-blinding burst of sparks.

Kujaku closed her eyes as energy flooded her body. "Meteorite Wing!" she shouted as fiery energy surrounded her body. She transformed into a bird of flame that hovered above Gara and spread its wings, raining down a volley of energy blasts that exploded around the Gorma and tossed her backward.

Kujaku returned to her human form and landed on the ground. Gara rose to her feet and raised her saber in a defense posture. The two opponents started circling around each other again.

The five teens arrived at the park in time to see Gara and Kujaku move around each other. An aura of power hung in the air around the combatants.

The opponents extended their hands and fired streams of purple and red energy. The streams exploded against each other with a massive shockwave that sent Gara and Kujaku tumbling across the ground.

Sakura started stalking towards the teens from behind and laughed. The rangers turned and snapped into fighting stances as the Gorma spoke. "So, do you like my handy work, Rangers?"

The rangers readied their Aura Morphers as Tommy narrowed his eyes. "Let's show him our appreciation, guys…"

"Chakra ignite!" they shouted together. "Aura Power!" they connected their braces as shells of energy shimmered around them. The shells of light splintered off as the Rangers morphed into their armor.

"Thunder Staff blades!" they shouted as they armed their red staffs. A unique blade appeared on the end of each staff with flashes of light.

The five Rangers leapt forward and swung their staff blades down in unison. Sakura hunched over as the staffs sparked against his back, knocking him backward and sending him tumbling across the ground.

The Gorma rolled back to his feet and opened several pores in his body. "Rabid Pollen!" Bursts of pollen streaked forward and surrounded the Rangers, exploding against their armor with a volley of sparks.

An army of Kyonshi appeared at the villain's side and charged forward to attack with swords and staffs. The Rangers split up and attacked the Kyonshi, crashing against the soldiers with a series of swift blows and cracks from their staffs.

Lion Ranger swept the legs out from under a grunt, and the soldier crashed to the ground. The Green Ranger whirled his staff and chopped it down against the soldier, crushing the grunt's chest.

Lion Ranger hopped over the fallen soldier and charged towards Sakura. The Green Ranger swung his staff blade towards the Gorma's head.

Sakura grabbed the staff and kicked the Ranger away while keeping the staff in hand. The Gorma lunged forward and slashed the Thunder Staff across Lion Ranger's chest, the two-pronged blade sparking on impact.

The blows knocked Lion Ranger backward and sent him stumbling across the grass. He rolled to his feet and looked up as Sakura charged towards him. Lion Ranger placed his right fist against his left palm and closed his eyes beneath his helmet.

Sakura started swinging and stabbing the staff at Lion Ranger, but the Green Ranger used his Kiryoku to effortlessly dodge each attack while keeping his back straight and hands in place.

Lion Ranger snapped his eyes open beneath his visor. He unsheathed his sword and slashed the blade across Sakura with a single movement, blade sparking on impact as Lion Ranger dashed past the Gorma.

The Green Ranger turned and swung his blade downward in an x-shaped pattern, slashing across the villain.

Lion Ranger took a step back and extended his hand. "Ki!" He fired an invisible telekinetic blast that exploded against Sakura. The attack blasted Sakura backward, losing his grip on the staff. The staff flew through the air, and Lion Ranger caught it.

Lion Ranger pounced forward and slashed his Thunder Sword upward, and his Thunder Staff downward. The two diagonal blasts sparked against the Gorma, knocking him backward.

The Rangers regrouped as Sakura rose to his feet and pulled out an enlargement bomb. The villain unpinned the bomb and tossed it to the ground. The bomb exploded, and Sakura absorbed the energy from the explosion to grow giant.

The Rangers raised their Thunder Swords into the air while holding their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The five Thunderzords appeared in the distance. The red-armored Dragon and Phoenix swooped through the air while the Lion, Tenma, and Kirin charged forward. The Rangers used their blasters like grapplers and reeled into their zords' cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with Sakura.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he shouted: "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords started to change shape and reconfigure as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold and black helmet slid into place.

The Ranger's joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

"Rabid Spores!" Sakura shouted. The villain fired a burst of pollen that exploded against the zord's armor with a volley of sparks.

The MegaThunderzord kept walking forward as spores exploded across its armor.

"MegaThunderzord Saber!" the Rangers shouted as Dairenou readied his sword. "Lightning Slash!"

Dairenou's blade energized as it cut through Sakura, causing the Gorma to fall backward and explode. Dairenou returned his sword to its holster. With Sakura dead, the spores went dormant across the city.

* * *

The next day, Adam sat on the cliff at Eagle Lake. He held one of Kujaku's feathers in his hand.

_Kujaku…_he thought to himself. _Why can't you be the gentle person you once were?_

_Adam… _he heard her voice say in his mind. Adam stood up and looked around him, but Kujaku was nowhere to be seen.

**To be continued…**


	7. Restless

**Restless**

Rocky's first date with Melissa was a picnic in the park. Until that date, Rocky didn't believe it was possible to be in the wrong place at the wrong time so often.

A Gorma dressed like a priest with dark sunglasses walked through the park while twirling a short staff in his hand. One end of the staff was shaped like an 'N' and the other end of the staff was shaped like an 'S'. The staff charged park goers with strong magnetic energy. The energy caused some park goers to crash against each other and others to shoot away from each other.

Melissa had fled the park with the other civilians as Rocky ran towards the Gorma. The ranger rolled his hands into fists. "Hey you! You Gorma should have realized by now…all your stupid plans do is tick us off!"

The priest smiled at Rocky and transformed into his monster form. His name was Jishoku Shinpu, meaning Father Magnet. The villain's dark body was covered with armor that made his head appear like a magnet. The Gorma third eye was in between the magnet prongs. A group of Kyonshi surrounded the villain.

"That's what makes it so fun," the Gorma said as the Kyonshi armed their staffs. "It is only through chaos that we know life."

"I'll remember that," Rocky said sarcastically as he armed his morphers. "Aura Power!" Blue energy flashed around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

The soldiers charged forward to attack.

Tenma Ranger leapt forward with a split that kicked two soldiers upside the head. The Blue Ranger landed and spun forward while spinning a tornado kick across another grunt's head. Tenma Ranger slammed a sidekick against the next soldier's face.

The Blue Ranger spun forward while arming his Thunder Staff.

A group of Kyonshi swung their own weapons towards the Ranger's head. Tenma Ranger spun his staff wide, knocking the weapons aside.

Tenma Ranger swung the left end of his staff across a grunt's face, bashing that soldier's head and knocking the Kyonshi backward.

Tenma Ranger continued his spin and cracked his staff across another soldier's legs. The Kyonshi crashed to the ground, its legs twisted and broken.

Tenma Ranger tornado kicked another soldier and continued his spin while slamming his staff across the grunt's face.

Father Magnet stepped towards Tenma Ranger and twirled an iron staff in hand. The Blue Ranger rolled forward into a crouched fighting position and held his Thunder Staff aimed forward towards the Gorma.

Tenma Ranger sprang forward and leapt through the air, swinging his staff downward.

The Gorma aimed his own staff and fired an invisible magnetic pulse that exploded against Tenma Ranger's chest and knocked him to the ground. Tenma Ranger stumbled backward and rose back to his knees.

"You about done?" Tenma Ranger asked.

"Hardly," the Gorma answered. The villain extended his hand and fired a whirling burst of magnetic energy. The blast exploded against Tenma Ranger's chest and knocked him backward, sending him crashing through a small billboard nearby.

* * *

The Rangers later regrouped and used their MegaThunderzord to kill Father Magnet when he grew giant. But the monster's destruction did not stop the nagging feeling in the back of Rocky's mind.

Rocky shook his head as he walked along the streets with Tommy. Rocky had asked to speak with him the day after the battle.

"I fought that red-masked freak. I fought that magnet freak," Rocky said. "I got clobbered both times. I thought I was getting better, but after yesterday, I'm no so sure."

Tommy shrugged. He was not used to dealing with these kinds of issues with people except for Kimberly. It wasn't long ago Tommy was the new ranger, a formerly-evil add-on to a team of five. A liability who was losing his powers and getting weaker with every battle. Now he was being asked for advice?

"We're a team for a reason," Tommy said, trying to give some kind of support to his teammate and friend. "Sensei wouldn't have given you your powers if you didn't know how to use them. Besides…each battle is going to be different. We just have to adapt to each opponent, learn from our mistakes, and…do better next time. Like you did with the Gorma who kidnapped Justin."

"But what if…" Rocky started to say. He shook his head. "Oh, never mind. I sound like such a girl."

"What if you get killed?" Tommy asked, predicting Rocky's question.

"Well," Rocky said. "If you want to put it bluntly…yeah."

Tommy nodded. "Come with me…"

* * *

Tommy led Rocky to a section of the city cornered off by yellow tape. Massive construction vehicles and workers plowed through rubble of a nearby collapsed building.

"This is where we fought Shard a few weeks back," Tommy said. "Some people in that building never made it to the shelter. They died when the building collapsed. One of the people who died was a single mom who left behind three kids. The kids were split up into different foster homes.

"Rocky…what we do…the Gorma could attack at any time. Anyone of us could die in any one of those attacks. Whether they wear us down and finish us off, or whether they get one lucky strike. We face death every time we morph. But we do what we do to keep things like this from happening."

They stood silently and stared at the rubble.

* * *

It never seemed to end with the Gorma and their attempts to kidnap kids. A strange, pale Gorma shaped almost like a trumpet-head had kidnapped a young girl off the streets. He was one of the weaker Gorma. His goal was to sacrifice the girl to the Great Beast of Hell in return for stronger power.

His name was Tofu Sennin, meaning "Tofu Hermit."

The Hermit stood around a table as Kyonshi poured a drink into a wide red bowl. The Gorma would sip the drink before killing the girl.

They stood in a secluded construction area with piles of concrete tubes 6-feet in diameter and piles of concrete brick. The girl was tied in a rope near a pile of concrete tubes.

A chain was the only thing keeping a massive block of concrete hanging several meters above her head from crashing down and crushing her.

The Hermit stood with his shoulders squared and lifted the bowl. He gulped down the drink as the Kyonshi stood by, the group of soldiers more than ready to finish off the girl. The Hermit lifted down the empty bowl. He nodded to the Kyonshi, signaling them to kill the girl.

A soldier threw his saber. The blade cut the chain, and the massive block of concrete fell, crashing against the ground with a thundering boom. When the dust cleared from impact, the Hermit saw that the brick had been cut in half. Dragon Ranger stood in between the halves with his Thunder Sword. Phoenix Ranger stood behind him with the girl in her arms.

The Hermit shouted and kicked his table away. "Kyonshi!"

The soldiers rushed forward into battle as the other three Rangers arrived at the scene. The Rangers split up and smashed through the line of grunts.

Dragon Ranger slapped a soldier's staff aside and speared his Thunder Sword through that grunt's chest. Dragon Ranger pulled his blade away and crescent kicked the soldier across the head.

Tenma Ranger armed his pair of nunchuku. He jumpkicked a soldier upside the head and smashed the side of the grunt's head with a sharp blow from his weapon.

Another pair of Kyonshi charged forward towards the Blue Ranger. Tenma Ranger spun a tornado kick, slamming his heel across a soldier's head and continuing his spin, slamming a sidekick against the second grunt's face.

Tenma Ranger glared at the soldiers beneath his helmet. He charged forward to attack with renewed fervor.

**To be continued…**


	8. The Deadly Dance

**The Deadly Dance**

A group of security officers loaded bags of money into an armored truck. The truck was parked along the curb of a financial district near Little Tokyo in Angel Grove.

One of the security guards suddenly started convulsing and dropped two bags of money. The guard dropped to his knee and let out a massive grunt as if he'd been punched in the stomach. The other three guards leaned down next to him and were about to ask if he was all right. But the fallen guard snapped his eyes open, pulled out his baton, and smashed all three guards across their heads with a single blow.

The guard grabbed three sacks of money and ran off with a glimmer of insanity in his eye.

* * *

"Come on, Tommy," Rocky pleaded. The two rangers were walking along the city streets, having met up after a half day at both their schools. "Just a couple bucks."

Tommy shook his head. "No, Rocky. I can't. Why do you need money so bad all of a sudden any way?"

"Because…" Rocky said as he continued to beg. "Melissa hasn't been talking to me lately. I pissed her off, and I want to buy her something so she'll forgive me."

Tommy smiled and shook his head. "I can't Rocky. I'm not made of money."

"Please?" Rocky asked again.

Then, a 50-dollar bill floated out of the sky and landed next to Tommy's foot. Rocky spotted it instantly. "Sweet!" Rocky said as he dove for the money, knocking Tommy over in the process.

"Rocky…" Tommy was about to scold his friend when he saw a security officer on a pedestrian bridge above. The guard was tossing large handfuls of money from a large sack towards the crowd below.

"What the hell?" Tommy said.

People scurried across the streets and scooped up any money they could get their hands on. Rocky didn't hesitate to join them.

Police officers rushed to the streets to get the crowd under control. Two of them stood behind Rocky and told him to put all the money down. "Oh, come on," Rocky said, but it didn't come out so clearly being that his mouth was full of money.

Tommy looked up at the pedestrian bridge and noticed the strange security guard run off. The teen looked back to his friend. "Rocky, let's go."

Rocky sighed and pulled himself to his feet. "Alright…" He and Tommy ran to catch the security guard.

* * *

The security guard ducked through a plaza lined with walkways. He still had a bag of money under his left arm, but he did not plan to keep the bag for long. The villain skid to a halt as Tommy leapt out in front of him.

"Hold it right there," Tommy said.

The guard turned to run the other way as Rocky stepped forward, blocking the guard's path. "Not so fast, punk…"

The guard's body shook. Red veins popped across his face. His dry hair became white and long.

"Gorma!" Tommy shouted as he and Rocky snapped into fighting stances.

"Kabuki Kozo!" The Gorma shouted, identifying himself as the Kabuki Novice as he stood in a fighting stance.

Rocky ran over and regrouped next to Tommy. The Gorma charged at them while shouting a strange war cry. "Ka! Ka! Ka!" The Gorma launched a flying kick that the two rangers ducked and rolled under.

Rocky rolled to his feet and snapped a roundkick against the villain's side. The villain was forced back a few steps but slammed the back of his fist across Rocky's face, hurling the teen backward.

Tommy roundhouse kicked the Gorma across the face, following with a round kick against the head, but Kabuki chopped a knifehand against the back of Tommy's neck. The Gorma picked Tommy up by the shirt and tossed him to the ground next to Rocky.

The two rangers stood and readied their Aura Morphers. "Chakra ignite…Aura Power!" They transformed into their armor and leapt through the air, passing over the Gorma while kicking him in the back.

The Rangers landed as Kabuki toppled forward onto the ground. Dragon Ranger and Tenma Ranger turned to face Kabuki as the Gorma pulled himself to his feet. The Rangers snapped into fighting stances.

The opponents charged at one another.

Tenma Ranger spun forward with a flying crescent kick that Kabuki ducked under. Dragon Ranger snapped a roundkick at Kabuki's head, but the Gorma blocked the blow and turned back to Tenma Ranger while slamming a sidekick against the Blue Ranger's faceplate.

Dragon Ranger swung a knifehand chop, but the villain blocked the blow and slammed two backfist strikes against the Ranger's faceplate. Kabuki spun forward with a sidekick that slammed against Dragon Ranger's chest and knocked him off his feet. The Red Ranger went smashing through a statue, pulverizing the sculpture upon impact.

Tenma Ranger snapped a jumpkick that Kabuki blocked. The Blue Ranger spun low with a leg sweep that Kabuki hopped over. The Gorma kicked Tenma Ranger upside the head while he was still low. The Blue Ranger went flying backward and crashing through a bench, splintering wood as he landed.

Dragon Ranger ran over and helped his friends to his feet. "I don't think I like this guy," the Red Ranger said.

Tenma Ranger nodded. "Something tells me the feeling is mutual."

Kabuki charged at the two Rangers as Dragon Ranger extended his hands. "Fire Stream!"

A stream of flame blasted against Kabuki and hurled him through the air, sending him crashing and tumbling across the ground.

Kabuki slowly rose to his feet as Tenma Ranger leapt through the air. "Tenma Screw Kick!" his feet slammed against the Gorma, knocking the villain backward.

Dragon Ranger and Tenma Ranger regrouped and unsheathed their Thunder Swords. They started forward but had only taken a step when a ring blade twirled through the air past them. The Rangers barely managed to flip back out of the blade's path.

The ring blade arced around and returned to the hand of its owner, an elderly Chinese man. He cracked his neck and smiled at the Rangers. He was smoking a small pipe and stroking his white beard. "Be careful who you fight, Rangers," he said as he again cracked his neck.

"What?" Dragon Ranger said. He and Tenma Ranger were taken off guard by the sight of the old man.

The man tossed his pipe against Tenma Ranger's chest. "Hey!" Tenma Ranger shouted as he took a step back and swatted the pipe away.

The Rangers ran towards the old man, but he ducked from view and vanished. They turned towards the security guard, but he was unconscious on the ground. He appeared like a normal human.

Dragon Ranger shook his head. "What was that about?"

* * *

The five rangers gathered at the lair. Kaku had yet to arrive. Tommy and Rocky were finishing the tale about their recent battle. "And then this weird old guy showed up," Rocky said. "He kept twitching his neck and he was smoking this damn pipe."

"Maybe we should ask Sensei about this," Billy said.

Adam nodded. "He should be back soon."

Kimberly thought for a moment. The way Tommy and Rocky described the strange man seemed familiar. "Did you say he kept twitching his neck?"

Tommy nodded. "Yeah."

Kimberly shook her head. "It couldn't be…" she turned and left the lair as Tommy and Rocky looked at each other with confusion.

"Let's go," Tommy said as they followed Kimberly out.

* * *

The rangers followed Kimberly into her second-floor apartment. Her mother was not home of course, but shuffling noises were coming from a back room.

The teens moved towards the apartment's utility room and saw an old Chinese man wearing an apron and doing laundry. He looked up from the washing machine and smiled at Kimberly. "Ah, welcome home, Kimberly," he said as he cracked his neck.

Tommy and Rocky pointed in recognition. "That's him!" they said.

"Uncle…" Kimberly asked the man, "what have you been doing?"

"Laundry," he said as he held up a pink-laced braw that belonged to Kimberly. "What should I do with this?"

"Uncle!" Kimberly's face turned slightly red as she grabbed her braw and put it back in the basket.

Kim's uncle left the utility room and walked towards the kitchen. Tommy and Rocky pulled Kimberly aside so the old man would not hear. "That's your uncle?" Tommy asked.

Kimberly nodded. "My mom's uncle. Not by blood…he's more of a family friend. He's staying with us for a few weeks."

"Why?" Rocky asked, and Tommy slapped him upside the head.

Kimberly had known her uncle her whole life. He was a friend to Kimberly's grandparents. It was her uncle that sparked her interest in Shiranui-style martial arts and gymnastics. Kimberly was attracted to the grace and beauty of both.

They heard Kim's uncle scream as he opened a closet, and a pile of boxes fell on him, toppling him to the floor. Tommy and Rocky moved over and helped him to his feet. Kimberly placed her hand over her face with embarrassment and shook her head.

"So," Tommy said to Kim's uncle, "what were you doing at the plaza earlier today?"

Kimberly's uncle merely smiled and cracked his neck while patting Tommy on the back. Kaku suddenly stepped into the apartment, taking the rangers by surprise. "Kimberly's uncle, Gohun, was my teacher."

Gohun smiled. "Ah, Kaku! Good to see you again." Gohun extended his hand, and Kaku shook it. "You don't look a day older than 5,000."

Kaku smiled, something the rangers had never seen before.

Gohun walked into the kitchen as Kaku followed. The teens exchanged surprised looks and followed Kaku and Gohun into the kitchen.

"This Ranger thing keeps on getting weirder," Rocky said.

"Your uncle was Kaku's…" Tommy started to ask Kim.

She shrugged. "This is all news to me."

Gohun sat at the kitchen table as Kaku talked to his students. "Gohun is the man that helped me and Zordon design your Aura Morphers and armor."

"Him?" Rocky asked, not even trying to hide his disbelief.

Gohun smiled and nodded proudly as he stroked his beard.

"But why did you attack us?" Rocky asked as he stepped closer to Gohun.

Gohun's face became serious. He stood and lightly pushed Tommy and Rocky. "Because you two could have killed that innocent man!"

Tommy shook his head. "He was a Gorma."

Gohun shook his head. "No. He was Kabuki Kozoi."

Rocky shook his head. "You lost me."

Kaku stepped in. "Kabuki is a Gorma who is capable of taking over the bodies of others. He can absorb their talents and their will."

Rocky turned to Tommy. "So that security guard…"

Tommy nodded. "He was possessed by this Kabuki guy."

Kaku nodded, as did Gohun who sat back down at the table.

* * *

Tommy, Rocky, Adam, and Billy walked along a sidewalk that led away from Kimberly's apartment. "So…" Rocky said as he shook his head. "That weird guy is Kim's uncle."

"And Kaku's old teacher," Billy said.

"This is strange," Adam said.

Tommy nodded. "Tell me about it."

* * *

Gohun sliced a block of cheese with his ring-shaped blade while in Kimberly's kitchen. Kimberly walked up beside him, taking notice of the blade. "What is that?"

Gohun held up the ring blade. "This is a Star Blade. Weapon against evil, and master cheese cutter."

Kimberly smiled and shook her head. Her uncle had always made her laugh. But Gohun was becoming more unhinged as he aged, it seemed.

* * *

In an outdoor stage in Angel Grove, Kabuki was in his natural form, prancing around and prowling, performing a Kabuki dance he took his name from. He was long and pale, and his body was lined with red streaks. He had the traditional Gorma third eye on his forehead.

The Gorma Triumvirate appeared in the rows of seats and descended a few steps while staring at Kabuki for a moment. Zydos smiled and started clapping. He stopped after catching the glare that Shadam gave him.

"Kabuki!" Shadam shouted.

"Ahhhh…" Kabuki said as he turned towards the three Gorma. "Shadam."

"Do you have her?" Shadam asked.

Kabuki nodded. "Yes, but I want to have some fun with Gohun and the Rangers before I hand her over."

Shadam smiled. "Perhaps you're not as worthless as I thought."

* * *

Kabuki stalked under the cover of bushes in Angel Grove South as he happened upon a road-construction site downtown. The Gorma spotted a worker drilling a hole into the ground and decided the driller would be a perfect target.

Kabuki stalked towards the construction site. Kabuki grabbed the drill worker from behind and entered the worker's body. The worker's face broke out with red veins as his hair grew pale and long.

The Kabuki-controlled worker started screaming and waving his drill back and forth across everyone and everything in his path as he broke forward into a mad dash. People ran in panic as the Gorma moved to the street. Cars skid to a halt as the drill slammed against the vehicles.

A lone police officer was on patrol in the area. Kabuki leapt from the drill worker and dove into the police officer's body.

"Freeze!" Kabuki shouted and began shooting at innocent people and blowing out the tires of cars.

* * *

Tommy and Rocky arrived nearby to investigate the disturbance. They spotted a man riding a bicycle over the sidewalks and ramming into people. The man had red veins and long white hair.

"Name that Gorma," Rocky said.

Tommy nodded. "Let's go."

Kabuki rode the bike down a wide stairwell, knocking people aside. The other three rangers arrived and stood at the base of the stairwell and blocked the bike's path. Kabuki swerved around them.

Tommy and Rocky leapt forward and tackled Kabuki from the bike. The bike tipped over, and the rider tumbled across the ground, knocking Kabuki out of his host. The Gorma monster stumbled to his feet and ran off while shouting at the rangers. "Come and get me!"

"Stop!" Tommy shouted as he and the others ran after Kabuki.

They followed the villain to a plaza dotted with concrete benches and bushes. The five rangers lost sight of the Gorma within the plaza.

"He has to still be nearby," Billy said.

"Split up and find him," Tommy ordered as they split up.

* * *

Nearby, a squad of police cars pulled up in front of a bank. The cars' sirens caught Tommy and Rocky's attention. The two teens moved towards the crime scene and ducked behind the cars to watch.

"Who robs banks anymore?" Rocky asked.

"Must be our Kabuki friend," Tommy said.

"Let's see if we can sneak in from behind!" Rocky said excitedly as he grabbed Tommy by the arm, and they ran off.

In the back of the building, they heard a manhole cover being twisted. The two teens hid behind a car as the manhole cover slid open.

"Betcha that's him," Rocky said.

"Shhh…" Tommy said.

A bag dropped onto the street from the hole. A man in sunglasses crawled out of the manhole and climbed to his feet.

"Hey!" Rocky shouted as he ran after the man.

"Rocky!" Tommy yelled as he ran after his over-eager teammate.

The man pulled a gun and started shooting at the two rangers. The teens rolled for cover. The bank robber sprinted away from the crime scene, and the rangers sprang forward in pursuit. The other three rangers spotted the pursuit and followed.

The man entered a building and started running up a stairwell. The rangers regrouped and approached the steps. The robber reached back and fired another round of shots that blasted around the rangers as they dove aside.

The suspect continued up the steps, and the rangers followed.

The bank robber ran onto the roof of the towering building, and the rangers were at his heels. "Hold it right there!" Tommy shouted.

The man blasted at the teens with his gun as the rangers dove across the roof. "I wish he'd stop doing that," Rocky said as he and the others rolled into crouched positions.

The robber started to shake as his hair grew long and white. Red veins burst across his face. "Kabuki!" the Gorma shouted and stood in a fighting pose. He pulled out an iron nunchuk.

"We have to be careful not to harm the host," Billy said as the teens snapped into fighting stances.

Kabuki charged towards the rangers and swung his nunchuku in a swirl of motion. The rangers split up and dodged the weapon as it swung in a pattern of arcs.

Billy snapped a roundkick towards the Gorma's head. Kabuki blocked the blow and slammed his weapon across the ranger's head. Billy was knocked backward and crashed onto his back.

Adam and Rocky moved in from both sides of the villain and snapped kicks towards the Gorma's head. Kabuki blocked the kicks and twirled his weapon in a figure-eight pattern that bashed across the two rangers' heads.

The rangers regrouped as the Gorma pulled out another gun and pulled the trigger.

"Aura Power!" Tommy and the other Rangers shouted as they morphed into their armor just as a wave of bullets struck them.

"Thunder Sword!" Tenma Ranger shouted as he unsheathed his saber.

"Wait," Dragon Ranger said as he held his hand in front of Tenma Ranger. "We can't hurt him like this. He's inside an innocent person."

"But Tommy…" Tenma Ranger said.

"No." Dragon Ranger shook his head. "We have to get Kabuki to reveal his true form."

Dragon Ranger leapt forward at Kabuki. The Gorma bashed his weapon across the Ranger's chest armor, knocking him backward and sending him stumbling across the roof.

"Thunder Staffs!" Lion, Kirin, and Phoenix Rangers shouted as they armed their red staffs. They speared the staffs towards the Gorma.

Kabuki leapt upward to avoid the staffs and slammed kicks against each of the Rangers' faceplates.

The Gorma landed back on his feet as Tenma Ranger moved in an attacked. The Blue Ranger leapt forward and spun a reverse crescent kick that Kabuki ducked under. Tenma Ranger followed with a roundkick that Kabuki blocked before slamming his weapon across the Ranger's chest.

The Rangers regrouped as Kabuki aimed his gun at them.

"Thunder Blaster!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he pulled his sidearm and fired pulses of crimson energy that blasted the gun from the Gorma's hand.

"Cyclone!" Phoenix Ranger shouted as she extended her hand and produced a cyclone of pink energy that hurled the Gorma backwards.

Kabuki came close to the edge of the building. The Rangers jumped over by him. "Get out of that body, Gorma!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

"Don't make us do this the hard way," Tenma Ranger said.

Kabuki smiled. "I'd stay back if I were you, Rangers. Otherwise…" Kabuki latched onto a pole and hung partially off of the building. "…I'll kill this body."

"Wait!" Lion Ranger shouted as he and the others stood in alarm.

A blur of motion passed by overhead. Kimberly's Uncle Gohun landed on the ledge of the building near Kabuki. Gohun walked towards the villain. "Uncle…" Phoenix Ranger said with caution as Gohun looked over the building and spoke with Kabuki.

"That's a long drop, Gorma," Gohun said with a smile. "Are you that insane and cowardly?"

"What?!" Kabuki shouted.

Gohun leapt forward and slammed a flying kick against Kabuki. The Gorma stumbled backward as Gohun grabbed him by the neck and twisted him around towards the building edge. Gohun kicked the villain upside the head and grabbed onto his neck again, pushing him up against the building's edge.

"Wait!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

But it was too late. Gohun pushed Kabuki over the ledge. The villain flailed his arms and legs as he plummeted towards the street below. The body crashed hard onto the streets below, bones breaking and muscles ripping upon impact.

The teens demorphed and ran down to street level. They ran over to the fallen man as police sirens sounded down the street. Tommy leaned down to feel his pulse. There was no heart beat. "No…" Tommy whispered.

Gohun joined the rangers and glared at the fallen man. "Kabuki made it out in time. I'll find him."

Rocky grabbed Gohun's arm before he could run off. "Wait," he said. "You just killed this guy!"

Gohun shook his head and released himself from Rocky. "You don't understand!" he yelled as he ran off.

The rangers looked down at the body as police cars and ambulances showed up at the scene. Kimberly placed her hand over her mouth in shock at what her uncle had done, and Tommy draped his arm over her shoulder.

An officer examined the body as another one questioned the teens. "What happened here?"

"He…fell," Rocky said.

The officer examining the body shook his head. "I don't think it was the fall that killed him."

He pulled back the jacket to show three piercing wounds in the chest of the body. "And from the looks of it, this guy's been dead for a long time."

The teens breathed sighs of relief, although they were still saddened by the person's death, they were relived that Kimberly's uncle was not a killer.

* * *

The teens returned to the lair after being questioned by the police. Kaku and Gohun were there. Tommy stepped towards Kimberly's uncle. "You knew, didn't you?" Tommy asked.

Gohun smiled and nodded. "Of course. Usually Kabuki doesn't kill his hosts, but not in this case."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Kimberly asked.

Gohun shrugged. "Kabuki had to be stopped. There was no time. Besides, he has captured my fiancé."

"Fiancé?" Kimberly asked.

"Yes," Gohun said as he pulled out a picture of a young-looking brunette. "Maria."

"How old is she?" Kimberly asked her uncle.

Gohun smiled. "20."

"20?!" the rangers said.

Gohun smiled and kissed the picture. Then he showed the picture to the teens.

"Wow…" Rocky said with a smile.

"Put your tongue back in your mouth, pal," Tommy said.

* * *

Kabuki kneeled before the Gorma Triumvirate in his natural form. They were in an old warehouse within the city. Shadam narrowed his eyes at the Gorma. "Where is she?"

Kabuki laughed. "You'll find this amusing, Shadam. I seem to have misplaced her."

"What?!" Zydos said in outrage as he extended his hand and fired a red energy bolt that exploded against Kabuki. "How could you!" Zydos shouted as he prepared to blast Kabuki again.

"Wait," Shadam said as he extended his hand in front of Zydos. "We can't kill him yet. He will find her." Shadam glared at Kabuki. "Isn't that right."

Kabuki began nodding furiously. "Yes…yes…"

The Triumvirate teleported away as Kabuki breathed a sigh of relief. The villain opened up his mouth and released a cloud of energetic gas that materialized into the girl. It was Maria.

Kabuki placed his finger beneath her chin. "You are lucky. Shadam and the others want me to hand you over to them, but I didn't."

Maria shook her head and ran over to the exit. It was locked. She turned to Kabuki and placed her hand on the Tiger Saber she wore on her belt. "Should I be thankful?" she asked sarcastically.

"Eh," Kabuki said. "Probably not. You're going to die anyway, but not until I use you. Use you to teach me how to properly enter a female host. Then I can overtake anyone, male or female."

Maria shook her head. "You're an idiot."

Kabuki smiled. "We'll see."

* * *

Kimberly sat with her uncle at the park around Crane Pond, near her apartment complex and not far from Angel Grove's Chinatown. Small flower gardens dotted the park, which was surrounded by towering apartment buildings of white concrete.

Gohun smiled at his niece. "So, Kimberly," her uncle asked. "How has life been treating you?"

Kimberly gave a weak smile and shrugged. "It's been throwing me upside down ever since this whole Ranger thing."

Gohun nodded. "It's difficult work, but it has its side benefits." He smiled as he twitched his neck.

"What do you mean?" Kimberly asked.

"You love him, don't you? It's so cute."

"Tommy?" Kimberly asked as her face blushed. "We're getting there…"

Gohun smiled and nodded. "Right, right. Now," he said, changing the subject. "I have something for you." He pulled out the metal ring from earlier and handed it to Kim.

"A Star Blade?" she asked. "How do I…"

"I'll teach you," Gohun said as he pulled out his own Star Blade. Kimberly and Gohun stood across from each other, each holding a Star Blade, as Gohun nodded. "Go," he said.

Kimberly held the Star Blade in a ready position, then hurled the weapon at her uncle. The blade boomeranged around him and returned to Kimberly's hand. She hurled the blade towards Gohun again, and he knocked the ring away with his Star Blade. Kimberly leapt through the air, grabbed the blade, and threw it back towards her uncle as it boomeranged around him and returned to her hand while she landed on the ground.

They smiled at each other.

Then suddenly, a black spear flew through the air and fell to the ground next to them. They turned to see Kabuki in his true form, laughing as he ran away. Gohun unfolded a piece of paper that was on the spear. He read the paper as he wrinkled his brow. "Maria…"

Gohun ran off.

"Uncle!" Kimberly shouted. "Wait!"

* * *

Tommy and Rocky were running through the streets of Angel Grove. Kaku had told them Kabuki was back on the loose, and they immediately responded. On a large television screen overlooking the entire square, Lyn Holtkamp was having another one of her broadcasts. She was speaking of a samurai, karate expert, and boxing expert that had been kidnapped.

Rocky and Tommy turned to each other after watching the broadcast. "You don't think Kabuki…" Rocky said.

Tommy nodded. "It would make sense. When he takes control of a host, he uses their abilities."

Rocky sighed. "This keeps getting better and better."

* * *

Gohun stepped into the warehouse that Kabuki instructed him to enter. The vast building was empty and dark. What little light bled in from the outside was consumed by shadows. Gohun moved through the darkness.

"Maria!" he called for his fiancé.

Maria was trapped in a cage nearby. She heard his calls but could not see him. She cried back. "Gohun! Help me!"

Gohun turned a corner and sprang towards her direction. But a wall of fire suddenly blocked his path.

Gohun backflipped away from the flame. He landed and looked up as a pro boxer charged towards him. The boxer smashed a hook punch across Gohun's head. Gohun rolled with the punch and moved backward as red veins sprouted along the boxer's face. White hair grew from his head.

The villain snapped into a squared-off fighting stance. "I'm the Kabuki boxer! Reigning champion and king of the ring."

Gohun shook his head and assumed a fighting stance. "You're an idiot."

Kabuki swung a left hook punch towards Gohun. Gohun ducked under the blow and rose while slamming a knifehand strike against the Gorma's face. The villain was stunned, but snapped a jab punch. Gohun blocked the punch, knocked the villain's arm away, and backfisted Kabuki across the face with a powerful swing from his arm.

Gohun kicked the legs out from the boxer. The boxer started to fall backward, and for the split second that he hung in midair before the fall, Gohun slammed two punches against the villain's chest. The boxer shot backward and crashed to the ground while stumbling across the pavement.

Kabuki was ripped from the fallen boxer's body. The Gorma monster rolled to his feet and started running towards the shadows. "Come and get me old man!"

Gohun smiled. "Old? Don't worry. I've still got some spunk left in me….wait!" he yelled as he chased after Kabuki.

"Gotta hurry, gotta hurry…" Kabuki muttered beneath his breath as he moved deeper into the warehouse. He moved to where he had the karate master tied up and dove into the captive's body.

Gohun entered the room as the karate master snapped into a fighting stance, red veins growing along his face, and white hair extending from his head. "Let's go old man!" Kabuki shouted as he leapt through the air, aiming a flying sidekick towards Gohun's chest.

Gohun grabbed Kabuki's leg, swung the villain overhead, and crashed him against the ground. The Gorma bashed against the pavement as Kabuki was torn from the host.

"That's getting annoying," Kabuki said as he ran off.

Kabuki ran around a corner. Gohun stayed at the villain's heels while in pursuit.

Gohun turned the corner as a sword swung towards his neck. He ducked underneath the sword and rose to see his opponent. Kabuki had taken control of the samurai.

Kabuki pounced forward and swung his blade through a blur of motion. Gohun fluidly dodged each blow, waiting for the right moment to strike back.

Gohun grabbed Kabuki's wrist and twisted, making the villain drop his sword. Gohun released the wrist and spun forward with a reverse sidekick that slammed him backward. Kabuki was torn from his host and tumbled backward before rising into a crouched position.

Kabuki assumed a fighting stance. "You know…I'm really getting sick of you."

Kabuki leapt behind a pile of crates. Seconds later, a machine creature with white, wiry hair smashed forward through the crates. Kabuki had managed to take control of and possess several mechanical devices.

"How…?" Gohun asked as he stepped back into a fighting stance.

"What do you think of me now?" Kabuki asked as he stomped forward towards his opponent. Not used to his new body, he tripped over his feet and crashed to the ground.

"Do you really want to know?" Gohun asked.

Kabuki climbed to his feet and fired a crimson optic blast with his right reflector eye. The blast exploded in front of Gohun and knocked him into the next room. He tumbled across the ground and rolled back into a crouched position.

"Gohun!" Maria shouted.

He looked to his left and opened his eyes wide. Maria was in the cage. He ran towards her, but a ring of fire ignited around the cage.

Kabuki stomped forward and fired another optic blast. Gohun zigzagged past the blast while charging forward. He leapt forward with a sidekick that bounced off the villain's chest with no damage. Gohun used the leverage to flip backward and land on his feet.

His aim still not perfected, Kabuki fired another optic blast that exploded on the ground next to Gohun and sent him tumbling backward before crashing to the ground.

Kabuki stomped towards Gohun while laughing. "And now to finish this," Kabuki said as he lifted his foot and prepared to crush Gohun.

A Star Blade suddenly whirled through the air and struck Kabuki across the chest, sparking on impact and knocking the villain backward. The blade boomeranged back into Kimberly's hand as she stood in the entrance of the warehouse along with her four friends.

* * *

A black limo pulled up outside of the warehouse. The Gorma Triumvirate was inside the limo. "They're inside," Shadam said to the others.

Gara opened her suitcase. Inside the suitcase was a small monitor screen. On the screen, they could see Maria being held with the Tiger Saber on her belt.

"Byakkoshinken…" Shadam growled.

* * *

Back inside the warehouse, Kimberly hurled her Star Blade around the cage Maria was held in. The blade energized as it circled around the cage and put out the flames. The Star Blade cut open the cage, and Maria was released.

"Gohun!" she shouted as she ran to her fiancé.

"Maria!" The two embraced as the rangers stood by.

"Ya know," Rocky said, "if this wasn't so disgusting, it might be cute."

Tommy slapped Rocky upside the head.

Kabuki suddenly rose from the ground, still in his machine configuration. "Bastards!" he shouted as the rangers snapped into fighting stances. The villain fired a massive optic blast that exploded across the ground with a shockwave that smashed against the five rangers and sent them tumbling outside the warehouse.

The rangers rose to their feet as Kabuki stomped towards them. The teens readied their Aura Morphers. "Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted as energy shimmered around them and they morphed into their Ranger forms. The five Rangers snapped into fighting stances.

"Dragon Ranger! Heaven Fire Star, Red!"

"Tenma Ranger! Heaven Gravity Star, Blue!"

"Lion Ranger! Heaven Illusion Star, Green!"

"Kirin Ranger! Heaven Time Star, Yellow!"

"Phoenix Ranger! Heaven Wind Star Pink!"

Dragon Ranger lifted his hand. "Power of the stars, brought down!" Together, they shouted: "Heaven Star Task Force…Power Rangers!"

Phoenix Ranger spun her Star Blade in her right hand as she charged towards the Gorma. "It's over!"

The Pink Ranger leapt through the air and landed while slashing downward across the monster with her Star Blade. The weapon sparked upon impact, slashing across the creature. Phoenix Ranger spun past Kabuki with a horizontal swing that cut across the villain's body with another burst of spark.

Kabuki was knocked back as Phoenix Ranger pressed forward. "Star Blade!" she shouted as she energized her blade with pink energy. She swung her blade around in a wide circular pattern, creating a swirling ring of energy. "Lightning Strike!"

Phoenix Ranger swung through the energy ring with a streak of power. Her weapon slashed across the monster, the blade's energy exploding on impact with a massive burst of spark that sent Kabuki crashing backward and rolling across the ground.

The Rangers regrouped around Phoenix Ranger, impressed with her attack.

Kabuki slowly rose to his feet, the machinery of his body squeaking. The host's energy overloaded and exploded with a sphere of flame that shot Kabuki's true monster form outward. Pale body steaming, Kabuki tumbled across the ground.

The Rangers heard Maria scream nearby. They ran towards her. Maria was corned against a warehouse wall as Gohun stood in front of her for protection. The Gorma Triumvirate slowly stalked towards her.

Shadam extended his hand. "Hand the Byakkoshinken over," he commanded the young woman.

"Over my dead body," Gohun said as he held his arm out to protect his fiancé.

"Stop!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he and the others jumped in behind the Gorma. The Rangers lifted their hands into the air and gathered cyan spheres of energy.

"Kiryoku Bomber!" they shouted and hurled the energy spheres forward. The five spheres combined into a rolling blast of golden energy that shot towards the three villains.

"Run!" Gohun said as he led his future wife away.

The Gorma Triumvirate extended their joined hands. The Kiryoku blast slammed against their hands as its energy crackled around them, causing explosions to tear through the warehouse wall and ground. The three Gorma absorbed some of the blast's power, allowing their skin to become covered in an energy sheath of metallic armor.

The Gorma snapped the blast back at the Rangers. The golden energy sphere exploded against their armor with massive bursts of spark that knocked them backward.

The Triumvirate slowly stalked towards the Rangers. Shadam tilted his head. "So, Rangers, you will finally face us."

Dragon Ranger rose to his feet. "You better believe it, chrome top!"

The Red Ranger unsheathed his Thunder Sword and Star Cutter. The dragon eyes on his helmet pulsed with energy as walls of flame surrounded him. "Heaven Fire Star! Lightning Flames of Destruction!"

Dragon Ranger crossed and extended his blades, firing a stream of flame that crackled with blue lightning. Shadam extended his hand and gathered the energy from the flame. He whipped the crackling energy and snapped it back towards the Ranger. The whip slashed across Dragon Ranger's chest with a burst of spark, sending the Ranger shooting backward and crashing through a warehouse wall.

Tenma and Phoenix Rangers assembled their Thunder Blasters and faced off with Gara. "Thunder Blasters!" they shouted as they fired lances of pink and blue energy at the female Gorma.

Gara hovered to the air to dodge the blasts. She extended her hand and launched two energy snakes that slithered forward and exploded against the two Rangers' armor, knocking them backward.

Zydos picked up a giant iron support beam and swung the beam at Kirin Ranger and Lion Ranger. The two Rangers ducked under the beam, but Zydos swung the make-shift weapon around and bashed its metal against the Rangers, batting them backward.

The five Rangers regrouped as the three Gorma continued to stalk forward. Kabuki streaked down from the air behind the Rangers and slashed his claws across their armor. The villain flipped and stood behind the three Gorma for protection, letting his masters do the rest of the work.

"Rangers!" Gohun shouted from behind a pile of crates. "Use your Star Blades together!"

Dragon Ranger nodded. "It's time to take care of business, guys!"

The Rangers each extended their own Star Blade. "Star Blade!" they shouted as the ringed weapons pulsed with cyan-tinted power. "Assault!"

The blades shot past the three Gorma with streaks of light and exploded against Kabuki, knocking him backward as explosions tore the villain apart.

The shockwave blasted the Gorma Triumvirate backward. The villains regrouped on their feet and blinked away.

Broken and torn, Kabuki used the last of his strength to slam an enlargement bomb onto the ground. The bomb exploded, and Kabuki absorbed the energy from the explosion to grow giant.

The Rangers unsheathed their Thunder Swords and lifted the blades into the air while holding their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The five Thunderzords charged over the landscape after appearing from the sky. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he shouted: "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords started to change shape and reconfigure as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold-and-black helmet slid into place.

The Rangers joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

Kabuki lashed out and wrapped his long black tongue around the MegaThunderzord. The tongue started squeezing and crushing the zord's armor.

"MegaThunderzord Saber!" Dragon Ranger shouted. MegaThunderzord unsheathed its curved blade and slashed through the tongue. Kabuki crashed backward, his torn tongue still hanging from his mouth.

Kabuki rose to his feet as Phoenix Ranger shouted "Wind Storm!"

Dairenou's blade energized with pink-and-yellow power. The MegaThunderzord swung its saber forward, emitting a pink energy cyclone that exploded against Kabuki, tearing into his body and knocking the Gorma backward.

"MegaThunderzord Saber," The Rangers shouted. "Lightning Slash!"

Dairenou's blade energized and chopped through Kabuki. The villain's broken body fell backward, his energy overloading and exploding as his remains were consumed by flame.

* * *

Gohun and his fiancé gathered at the Hsuan T'ien Shang Ti Shrine in Angel Grove's Chinatown, which stretched in between Angel Grove South and Angel Grove East. They stood around a rock in the shrine as they smiled and held the Tiger Saber. "It will be safe here," Maria said.

Gohun nodded and held up the saber as it crackled with white energy. He thrust the saber through the stone. Gohun nodded. "Only he can pull it from this stone now."

* * *

"What?" Kimberly asked Kaku within the lair. "My uncle left? He didn't even say goodbye."

Kaku smiled. "He is a mysterious person Kimberly. We will see him again."

* * *

Byakkoshinken sat in the stone, waiting for the one to claim him.

**To be continued…**


	9. Freedom on the March

**Freedom on the March**

Lynn Holtkamp drove as fast as she could through the back streets of Angel Grove West. Her job had become harder this year because of the new Rangers and their new enemies. The previous year, attacks on the city were blunt. But this new group was more subtle. Public glimpses of them were rare.

Holtkamp was following a lead about a battle near an old train station by the docks. This new terrorist group seemed to often operate out of abandoned buildings and run-down warehouses. Police were investigating to pick up a trail from the terrorists, but they could find nothing.

Holtkamp pulled her car up behind an old train engine and got out of her vehicles. Her sources were right on the money. She pulled out her portable camera and started filming the scene before her. The so-called Rangers were battling the terrorist group's black-clad soldiers and another creature.

The Red Ranger stood in front of the train engine that Holtkamp hid behind. The Ranger twirled the staff back into a fighting position as the black soldiers charged forward.

Dragon Ranger spun forward and swung his staff, batting the soldiers' weapons aside with one end of his staff and twirling the other end to bash the grunts across their heads.

Holtkamp kept her camera focused in on the Red Ranger as he moved through the group of soldiers, his staff snapping against weapons and breaking bones in a blur of motion her eyes could barely keep up with.

Her mind drifted to the same question every time she saw these combatants in action: Who were they? Too many supposed experts had too many theories, and none of them seemed credible.

One theory was that the villains were part of a terrorist camp from the Middle East, engaging in a new form of warfare with genetically engineered soldiers. The so-called Rangers were part of a clandestine U.N. anti-terrorist unit under this theory, which seemed the most accepted.

Other theories ranged from space aliens to elaborate hoaxes. The Bush administration had actually blamed Iraq and used genetically-altered terrorists as an excuse to invade the country. No one seemed to care that Iraq was later found to have no capabilities to make such bio weapons, nor were they responsible for a single act of terrorism on U.S. soil.

But woe to anyone who questioned the White House's logic. They were immediately labeled as communists who did not support the country or support U.S. soldiers fighting overseas.

The thought of ignorant people blindly following a president sickened her. Part of being an American was the right she had to question her leaders, to make sure leaders were not sacrificing U.S. soldiers for a war based on a lie.

The administration claimed Iraq was the center of the broader war on terrorism. This was true currently, but only because the United States invaded the country. Terrorists were in Iraq because Americans were in Iraq. Meanwhile, the bastard actually responsible for the most massive terrorist attack on American soil was running free, dancing in the sand.

What scared Holtkamp even more was the way Bush talked about spreading freedom to the world. What the hell did that mean? Was the United States going to invade every country that did not have a democracy? The White House would say no, just places that harbor terrorists. Um, okay. There were terrorists in every country on the planet, including the United States. Holtkamp remembered Oklahoma city - a terrorist bombing made by a U.S. citizen. All countries, all U.S. allies, had terrorists.

And the United States had isolated itself from her allies. America spat on the nations of the world and took it upon herself to act as a global police force. The absurdity was staggering. The war in Iraq had nothing to do with protecting America. The war was breeding more hatred and more terrorists.

And people seemed to have forgotten about Bush's failures at home. Jobs lost. Poor economy. Death penalty advocate. Gay people can not marry. Separation of church and state is non-existent. He was the only president to take a month-long vacation right after getting elected.

The entire world was going mad and no one seemed to care.

Holtkamp shook her head and tried to clear her mind of the tangent it went off on. The battle before her eyes was still spreading.

Phoenix Ranger had a ring-shaped blade in each hand. She spun to her left and chopped a blade against the back of a soldier's neck and slashed the second blade through another soldier's throat.

Two soldiers tried to sneak up on the Pink Ranger from behind.

Phoenix Ranger stepped backward and slammed her Star Blades against the grunts' chests, knocking them backward.

The Pink Ranger rose back to her feet and spun forward, slashing both blades across another pair of soldiers' chests, her weapons sparking on impact.

Tenma Ranger was nearby. The Blue Ranger spun two Star Blades, twirling the weapons as he dashed through a group of Capatros.

Holtkamp tried to zoom in on the Blue Ranger, but he was moving too fast to focus on.

The journalist shifted her camera. She narrowed in on an odd sight. The Green Ranger was leaning back in a fighting stance, facing off with a Gorma whose face resembled a twisted vase. The monster wore baggy white garments underneath brown armor plating that almost looked like clay.

The opponents started circling around each other and shifting stances. Their movements seemed almost graceful, Holtkamp thought. It looked more like dancing than fighting. Who were these people?

Lion Ranger and the Gorma monster charged at one another.

The Gorma pounced forward with a jump roundkick towards the head that Lion Ranger blocked.

Green Ranger knocked the villain's leg away while spinning inward and slamming an elbow blow against the villain's chest.

Their fight continued as Holtkamp opened her eyes wide with awe. She never saw anyone move so fast before. The Ranger and monster threw themselves at each other with a flurry of punches and kicks, blows smashing against limbs as their muscles pumped with raw power and strength.

Who were they? The secret nagged at her constantly.

A black soldier suddenly dropped in front of her. Holtkamp shrieked as she dropped her camera and fell on her tail bone. The camera shattered on the pavement as the soldier stalked towards her. The grunt seemed amused by her fear.

A red staff bashed the soldier's head away with a streak of motion. It was the Red Ranger. "Get out of here," he said to her. "Now."

He was talking to her. "Who are you…" she asked.

Dragon Ranger ignored her question and turned back to the battle while twirling his staff into a fighting position. Holtkamp retrieved the data card from her digital camera and ran off.

* * *

"It's crap," Holtkamp's editor said to her as he watched the video. "Didn't anyone ever teach you how to hold a camera?"

"This is the closest footage of these new Rangers that anyone has gotten," Holtkamp said.

"Bah," the editor said. "Next time I'll just send my 5-year-old daughter out with a camera. At least I won't have to pay her."

Her editor was rather picky. His attitude was partially a result of the competition his news station had with other stations. Angel Grove was divided into five sub-cities identified by direction: North, South, East, West and Central. Each had its own news station.

"Get back out there," the boss said. "Find me something worth running. Something edgy. Something that doesn't look like poorly filmed Japanese children's programming."

Holtkamp bit back her tongue and left the office, trying to ignore the tirade her editor continued, even after everyone left his office.

* * *

Holtkamp was starting to hate her job and her profession as a whole. She still enjoyed the work, but television media had become too corrupt. Too concerned with ratings to actually make a difference.

It could be worse though, she thought to herself. She could work for Fox News, which may as well have been called the Republican News Network. Every story was slanted and dripped with bias. "Guests" on Fox news shows were yelled at by an onslaught of right-slanted opinion from so called "objective" hosts.

What happened to all the journalists? Why was no one pinning the White House down with hard questions? Holding them accountable for their mistakes? Educating the public instead of spreading political fecal matter and accusations? The president was one of the most powerful men in the world, and with that came tremendous responsibility. What happened to the media watch dogs who made sure the government did not abuse its power?

Holtkamp heard sirens from a nearby fight. She laughed beneath her breath, but she wasn't sure exactly why. What was the world coming to?

Half the people in the country were stupid, she convinced herself. They listened to their fears. It was obvious by their remarks on why they support Bush. His political nonsense seeped through his supporters mouths: we have to stay on the offensive to stop them from attacking us here, he has strong values, steadfast leadership.

It saddened her that people could be so stupid. She found Bush's support less believable than the green-armored boy clashing against the clay-pot head monster on the streets ahead.

**To be continued…**


	10. The Chosen One

**The Chosen One**

It was time.

Lightning flashed across California's skies and pierced through the night. Dark clouds spread over Angel Grove City as thunder boomed across the air. The Tiger Saber known as Byakkoshinken fluxed with energy from the Hsuan T'ien Shang Ti Shrine in Angel Grove's Chinatown. The saber fed off the lightning.

The lightning turned deep crimson as Byakko sent a telepathic howl across the city streets.

The howl reached a 10-year-old Japanese boy named Kou, asleep in his bed. Light from the red lightning illuminated his face. He wrinkled his brow and shuffled in his sleep.

"Kou…" said a voice inside his head. "Kou…"

* * *

Master Kaku sat in a meditative pose within the lair. He felt the power of the lightning storm rage across the city above ground. A voice spoke to him telepathically. The voice ebbed with power that flowed across the room. It was Zordon.

_Kaku…Byakko is preparing to awaken. You know what this means, my friend. The Kiba Ranger is about to be born. You must take grave caution, for the Gorma will be after this Ranger. Your team must protect Byakkoshinken so that the sixth warrior can be born._

* * *

Tommy walked alone along the streets of Angel Grove North the next morning. His head was hung low. The Gorma were starting to get to him. Their attacks were too unpredictable, often times absurd but deadly. How was he supposed to fight against something like that?

But Tommy knew that wasn't his real problem. His real problem was more simple - he was the leader. Kimberly assured him he was getting better and far more confident in the role. For an example, she cited Tommy taking Rocky to see battle damage from a Gorma attack.

But Tommy was still afraid. Not afraid for himself, but for his friends. He could not fail them like he had failed so many others in his life.

And the death of his father still weighed heavily on his mind. Tommy wondered if his father's fate would his. The thought of becoming a traitor scared Tommy more than anything.

"Tommy," a voice said from behind him. Tommy turned to see a man with long dark hair wearing a long black jacket. It was the Dark Man he first met after losing his Green Dragon Ranger powers. "We need to talk, boy."

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "You again…you're one of the Gorma, aren't you?"

The man laughed at the thought. "Oh Tommy…I'm afraid you're wrong again. Who I am should not concern you…yet."

"Why are you here?" Tommy asked.

"To warn you," he said. "Things are about to get harder for you. More complicated. Be prepared."

The Dark Man stepped back into an alley. Tommy went to chase after him, but he was gone. Tommy narrowed his brow. _Who is this guy?_

* * *

Kou raced on his skateboard through the streets outside of Chinatown and entered Angel Grove South. He had a mischievous grin on his face as he rode down the sidewalk against the flow of pedestrians. "Out of the way! You better move!"

A teenager nearly knocked Kou off his board, but he managed to slide across a curb and avoid getting plowed over.

Kou turned around a corner and sped forward. Up ahead on the sidewalk, he noticed a couple sitting together eating ice cream. A lopsided grin crossed his face. He sped up and zoomed past them while snatching the guy's ice cream cone.

"Hey!" they shouted at Kou, but the boy kept riding.

Kou turned another corner and moved towards an apartment complex. He saw a girl with long, dark hair leave the building. He whistled at the sight of her. "That must be Kimberly…" he said to himself.

Kou stood on his board sideways and rolled towards Kimberly. He faced her as he passed by her side. "Hey. How are you today?"

Kimberly raised an eyebrow at the strange boy and smiled. "Okay. Don't you think you better watch where you're going?"

Kou stopped in front of her and flipped his board up to his left hand. He placed the board under his arm and wiped his right hand across his shirt. "I'll be fine…My name's Kou. I'll be your little brother starting today."

He finished wiping his hand and reached forward to shake her hand. He grabbed her breast instead.

"Hey!" She stepped back and slapped his hand away.

"Thanks." Kou grabbed her purse, tossed down his board, and skated away.

"You little creep!" Kimberly shouted as she chased after him. "Hey!"

Kou kept speeding. While skating from Kimberly, he pulled the keys from her purse and placed them in his pocket.

Kimberly followed, and noticed Rocky jogging nearby. "Rocky!" she shouted to him.

Rocky stopped and turned towards her, his face slightly red. He had diverted his jogging path in hopes of running into Kimberly. He neglected to think how he would explain jogging in a completely different part of the city than where he lived.

"Hey Kimberly," Rocky said. "I was just out for a run-"

"That kid took my purse!" she shouted to him.

"Huh?" Rocky said. Then he noticed the boy skate towards him.

"Hey!" Rocky shouted as he stood to block Kou's path. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

Kou skid around Rocky and kept moving forward. "Kind of slow there, tubby," Kou called back to Rocky as he moved back towards Chinatown.

"Tubby?!" Rocky said as he glared at the fleeing boy. "Why that little…"

Rocky and Kimberly sprinted after the boy as fast as they could. They wound through a paved path that cut into the trees and pierced into Chinatown's borders. Kou ditched the purse at the site of a nearby shrine and ducked for cover behind one of the many stones. He leaned with his back against the stone and stayed quiet as the two rangers arrived.

"Where did that little snot run off to?" Rocky asked as he looked around.

"Rocky," Kimberly said. "Be nice."

"Hel-_lo_," he said sarcastically.

"What?"

"He called me fat."

Kim sighed. "You'll live."

Kou's eyes darted back and forth as he tried to find the quickest way to run. The same voice that had spoken to him the night before entered his mind. "Kou…did you get her keys?"

Kou pulled out the keys and jiggled them in his hand. "Yeah, but I don't know why I need them."

"They will allow you to access her apartment," the strange voice answered.

Kou rolled his eyes. "I figured that. Why do you keep talking in my head anyway? Why can't you just show yourself."

"It's more fun this way," the voice said, not trying to hide its amusement.

Rocky walked over to the steps of the shrine. He reached down and picked up Kimberly's purse. A tendril covered with black hair suddenly leashed around Rocky's leg and whipped him from his feet, sending him stumbling onto the ground.

Kimberly moved over to his side. "Rocky, what are you doing?"

"Looks like we've got company," Rocky said as he rose back to his feet.

A trio of Gorma appeared in female form. They each wore a light suit of red-and-silver armor. They were called the Sankanjo, meaning Three Ladies. Their names were Iyaringu Kanjo, Lady Earring; Nekkuresu Kanjo, Lady Necklace; and Yubiwa Kanjo, Lady Ring

Ring Kanjo stepped forward and narrowed her eyes at the teens. "Rangers…" she hissed.

"Let's go," Rocky said as he and Kimberly readied their morphers.

Kou peaked out from behind the stone slab and watched the rangers.

"Chakra ignite! Aura Power!" they shouted as they connected their braces. Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their armor.

The Blue Ranger and Pink Ranger snapped into fighting stances.

Ring Kanjo started to un-strap her armor as her body rippled. "Allow us to introduce ourselves, Rangers…"

They transformed into their monster forms. Their skin turned cream colored and hard. Ring Kanjo's upper body resembled a fist, and she wore a ring around her neck. Earring Kanjo had the same skin composition and shaggy strands of black hair hanging from her head. Necklace Kanjo's slender body and head were capable of expanding.

"We are the Siamese Kanjo!" they said in unison.

"Siamese Kanjo?" Phoenix Ranger said.

"What kind of name is that?" Tenma Ranger said.

"Red Vortex!" Ring Kanjo shouted. The monsters dropped a globe of crimson energy that expanded and surrounded the entire area with a pocket dimension. The shadowy pocket dimension was dimly-lit with hues of red. Fog covered the ground.

Tenma Ranger and Phoenix Ranger crossed past each other and switched stances as the sisters unsheathed double-edged swords and charged towards them to attack.

Necklace Kanjo and Earring Kanjo jumped onto Ring Kanjo's shoulders and leapt forward. The two sisters landed while slashing their blades across the Rangers' armor with bursts of spark.

Ring Kanjo leapt forward and landed while swinging a backhand strike in a wide arc. Her blade sparked across the Rangers' armor and knocked them backward.

The Rangers regrouped. "Thunder Staffs!" they shouted as they swung their red staffs into fighting positions and charged forward to attack.

Kou still peeked from behind a stone slab and watched the two Rangers and Gorma bash against each other. "Whoa…" Kou whispered, the sound of his voiced drowned out by the clash of sword against staff.

Earring Kanjo knocked Tenma Ranger's staff away and arced her blade back around, slashing across the Ranger's armor with a burst of spark. Necklace Kanjo dashed past the Ranger from his side while running her blade across his armor, the weapon sparking on impact, whipping the Ranger's body backward.

Ring Kanjo parried a blow from Phoenix Ranger and spun forward, slashing her double-edged blade across the Pink Ranger's chest with a burst of spark.

Kou kept watching, his eyes wide open. The voice spoke to him. "Those are the Gorma…"

Kou heard the sound of wheels squeaking behind him. The boy turned to see a small black chariot pulled forward by two Kyonshi.

The grunts were dressed in black cloaks. A young boy no older than Kou and an older man sat side-by-side in the chariot. They both appeared Asian and had grim expressions on their faces. Their outfits were clearly Gorma in design, all black with white trimming and leather straps.

The boy wore a headband with a dull-silver medallion at the center of his forehead. His name was Akomaru. The older man was known as Tenpo Shogun. He had raised the boy himself.

Nearby, the three Gorma sisters leapt towards the Rangers and chopped their swords down vertically.

The Rangers braced themselves, but two red staffs came out as if from nowhere and blocked the blows. The other three Rangers had arrived.

The Rangers kicked the sisters backward, and Dragon Ranger helped Phoenix Ranger to her feet. "Are you okay, Kim?"

"Yeah," Phoenix Ranger said.

"I'm fine too, thanks," Tenma Ranger said as the three Gorma regrouped.

Lion Ranger drew his sidearm. "Thunder Blaster!" The Green Ranger fired blasts of jade-tinted energy that exploded across the sisters, sparks ripping across their armor.

Still out of sight from the Rangers, Akomaru stood in his chariot and armed a small bow and arrow. Demonic symbols were etched onto the bow. The boy snapped an arrow that streaked into the sky and exploded with a blinding flash of light that dissipated the pocket dimension, returning the battle site to normal.

The sisters returned to their human forms as Tenma Ranger looked to his teammates. "They're even uglier in this form."

"Rangers," Ring Kanjo said as she and her sisters slowly stepped backward. "We will continue this another day. And don't worry…we'll find the Kiba Ranger before you do. We will prevent his birth."

"Kiba Ranger?" Dragon Ranger said.

The sisters blinked away.

"Well that was weird," Tenma Ranger said.

"Let's get to the lair," Dragon Ranger said. The Rangers turned and ran off.

Nearby, a fiendish grin crossed Akomaru's face as he sat back in his chariot. The boy caught Kou's glance and narrowed his eyes. It was the first time Akomaru had seen a normal human child.

The Shogun turned his head towards his charge. "What is wrong, Akomaru?"

"Nothing," Akomaru said. And with that, the Kyonshi rode off.

The boy pulled a small whistle from his pocket. The small instrument served many purposes. Few could grasp what those purposes were. He blew the whistle, which made a unique high-pitched whooping sound. The sound was too laid back to be a command to his Kyonshi. The whistle itself almost seemed to have a power to it.

Kou's eyes were fixed on the chariot as it rode off. The voice spoke to him. "Kou…we are wasting time."

* * *

The teens gathered in the lair along with Master Kaku. Their Sensei was sitting on his small platform. Adam took a step towards the platform. "What were they talking about?"

Kaku nodded. "The Kiba Ranger. There is a sixth Ranger whose true identity remains unknown. The Gorma will be looking for him, but we have to find him first."

"Another Ranger would be a lot of help," Rocky said.

"How can we find this Ranger?" Billy asked Sensei.

"The legends say the Kiba Ranger will be the holder of Byakkoshinken," Kaku said.

"Byakko…" Tommy said, recognizing the name.

Rocky knitted his brow. "Isn't that the tiger-saber thing Gohun's fiancé had?"

Kaku nodded. "Yes. You must protect Byakko at all costs."

"Well," Tommy said. "Then I guess we're off to that shrine."

* * *

Akomaru stood in front of the Guan Yu Shrine, surrounded by an ornate garden modeled after ancient China in Angel Grove's Chinatown. The three sisters stood behind him in their human forms. The Gorma Triumvirate faced the boy and his servants. Shadam's body was tense with rage as he glared at the child.

"What's wrong, Shadam?" the Shogun asked as he stepped forward from the chariot. "Does your own son intimidate you?"

Shadam scoffed.

The Shogun smiled with evil pride as he stood behind Akomaru and placed his hands on the child's shoulders. "He will find Byakko and stop the Kiba Ranger from being born."

Zydos laughed. "A small boy?"

"That's ridiculous," Gara said, her arms crossed over her chest.

The Shogun turned and stepped back into the chariot. "Now Akomaru…I leave things up to you," he said before riding off towards the distance. The chariot blinked away.

"Kanjo," Akomaru said with a biting voice full of bitterness and hate. He turned his back towards the Triumvirate and started to walk away. "Let's go too."

"Wait, Akomaru," Shadam shouted with a stern voice, his eyes narrowed. "What do you think you are doing? You are a mere child. How do you expect to find the Kiba Ranger? You'll only get in my way. Stay out of this."

"Stay out?" Akomaru said in disbelief. He felt the burning gaze of his father against his back. The boy turned to face him. "I won't take orders from you," he said, his voice thick with anger. "You abandoned me moments after my birth. It was the Shogun who raised me. Besides…I have a resource you do not."

Akomaru turned as he and the sisters vanished, blurring out of sight.

Shadam clenched his jaw. What resource could that bastard child have?

* * *

Kimberly's apartment was a mess as Kou tore through it. Drawers were emptied onto the floors. Book bags were opened and spilled onto the couch. He rummaged through her things as fast as possible.

He could not find what he needed.

He started looking over the pictures hanging on her wall. He glanced past a picture of the original six rangers. Kimberly had insisted that someone take their picture while they were sitting around a table in a pool hall, on their last outing together before Jason, Zack, and Trini left for Japan to study abroad for a year.

Another picture was a group shot of the current five rangers and Kaku, taken by Kimberly's uncle before he mysteriously took off with a fiancé a small fraction of his age. Kou reached up for the picture and pulled it down. A small wooden totem was taped to the back of the picture.

"That's it, Kou!" the voice in his head said. "That will allow you to become the Kiba Ranger!"

Kou's face lit up. "Yes…" he whispered with excitement as he stuffed the small totem into his right pocket.

The apartment door swung open, and Kimberly stepped in. She took a step back in shock when she saw the mess, then she narrowed her eyes when she spotted Kou.

"Hey!" she said sternly as she entered the living room. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Hey sister," Kou said with a smile as he took an apple from a nearby bowl and took a bite. "This place is pretty messy. You should probably clean it up sometime."

Kimberly took a step back and shook her head, not believing what was happening. She took a deep breath to calm herself and walked over to the boy. "You did this. How did you get in here?" Kim asked as Kou continued to eat the apple.

Kou pulled out Kim's keys from his pocket and held them up while smiling mischievously.

Kimberly opened her eyes wide with shock. She checked her purse and found that the keys were indeed missing. "Why you little…"

Kou snickered beneath his breath while taking another bite from the apple. He started pacing while tossing the keys up and catching them repeatedly.

"Give me back my keys, now," Kimberly said.

"Ummm…no," Kou said.

Kimberly grabbed Kou's ear and dragged him to the door as he winced in pain.

"Hey, let go…that's no way to treat your little brother," he said.

Kimberly let go and held out her hand. "Keys."

Kou held up the keys, and as Kimberly reached out to grab them, Kou grabbed her breast again and pushed Kimberly out the door, slamming the door shut and locking her out of her own apartment.

"You creep!" Kimberly shouted. "Let me in!"

Kou leaned against the door and smiled. "Maybe later."

"There's no time, Kou." The voice said in his head. "You must leave at once."

Kou nodded, grabbed his bag and skate board, and left for the window.

Outside, Kim quit banging on the door, closed her eyes, placed her hands together, and used her Kiryoku to unlock the door.

Inside, she found no trace of Kou, but the window was open. She ran out to the balcony and looked down to find Kou on the street below getting on his skate board. "Wait!" Kimberly shouted. "Get back up here!"

Kou turned and smiled. "I would love to but there's no time…bye, sister." He rode off.

"Wait!" Kimberly turned and ran from her apartment to the nearest stairwell.

* * *

Akomaru and his three Kanjo stood on top of a skyscraper in Angel Grove South. Necklace Kanjo extended her neck like rubber and used enhanced vision to look out upon the streets far below.

"Kanjo…" Akomaru said as he stepped towards her. "Have you found it?"

Necklace Kanjo zeroed in on Byakkoshinken. "Yes…I have located it."

Akomaru smiled, a glimmer of evil in his eye. "Excellent…"

* * *

Kou sped through the streets on his skateboard and raced towards the Hsuan T'ien Shang Ti Shrine as fast as he could. The voice in his head urged him on. "Hurry," the voice said. "The Gorma are close."

Kou nodded and picked up the pace.

* * *

Kimberly followed Kou to a shrine in Chinatown but lost sight of him on the shrine's courtyard. She looked up and spotted a white saber stuck in a stone. Steep stairs on each side of the shrine led upward to the saber.

"Byakkoshinken… " Kimberly whispered.

She walked towards the saber, but a long strand of hair suddenly shot out and wrapped around her chest. The hair tentacle snapped Kimberly off her feet and tossed her, sending her tumbling across the ground.

Kimberly rose to her knees and looked up to see Akomaru and the three Kanjo in their monster forms. Akomaru stared at her with eyes of ice. "I won't let you interfere with our plans."

Kimberly readied her Aura Morphers and rose to her feet. "That saber belongs to the Rangers."

Kimberly leapt through the air towards the Gorma while connecting her braces. "Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around her as she morphed into her Ranger armor and pulled out her sidearm.

"Thunder Blaster!" she shouted while dropping from midair, firing lances of pink energy that blasted Earring Kanjo against the chest, causing her to stumble backward.

Phoenix Ranger landed and twirled her staff into a fighting position. "Thunder Staff!"

The three Gorma monsters unsheathed their double-edged swords and started circling around the Pink Ranger.

Necklace Kanjo charged forward and chopped her blade towards the Pink Ranger. Phoenix Ranger used her staff to swat the sword away, and twisted the staff back around, bashing its end across the Gorma's face as the other two sisters charged towards the Pink Ranger from behind.

Phoenix Ranger spun and slapped the two sisters' swords away. She spun back around, snapping an outer crescent kick that smashed across Ring Kanjo's head.

Earring Kanjo twisted her wrist around in a backhand swing towards Phoenix Ranger. The Pink Ranger extended her staff and blocked the blow. Sword clashed against staff as Phoenix Ranger slammed a sidekick against her attacker's chest. Pink Ranger pushed forward to the second sister and slammed a spinning heel kick across that Gorma's head.

Necklace Kanjo moved behind Phoenix Ranger. Pink Ranger snapped around with a hook kick that bashed across the Gorma's head.

Ring and Earring Kanjo leapt forward towards the Ranger while extending their hands. They fired neon pulse blasts from their palms that exploded against the Ranger's chest with a burst of spark, knocking her backward.

Kou was nearby, watching from behind a bush. "Sister…" he whispered as the three Gorma slashed their blades across Pink Ranger's armor, weapons sparking upon impact.

Ring Kanjo leapt through the air, howling at the top of her lungs as she swung her blade down towards the Pink Ranger's head.

"Si-kuya!" Tommy shouted as he leapt through the air as if from nowhere and kicked the Gorma from the air. Ring Kanjo crashed to the ground.

Tommy landed as he and the other teens regrouped around Phoenix Ranger. Tommy helped her to her feet as the three sisters regrouped as well.

Rocky pointed at the villains. "You three are starting to get on my nerves!"

The teen boys readied their morphers. "Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted as they connected their braces. Energy shimmered around their bodies as their armor wrapped around them.

The Rangers and Gorma charged at each other and attacked. The sounds of blades clashing against each other and fierce punches and kicks filled the air as Kou watched.

"How am I going to get to that saber now?" Kou asked. "They're all out there."

Byakkoshinken's eyes suddenly flashed red as the saber howled. The skies became dark, and crimson lightning shot down from the clouds, exploding across the ground around the Rangers and Gorma with bursts of near-blinding sparks.

"It's time Kou," said the voice in his head, the voice of Byakko.

Kou ran forward and scrambled up the stairs of the shrine. He moved to the stone and looked to Byakko. The saber ebbed with a power that Kou was drawn to in ways he could not understand.

"Now, Kou," the voice in his head said. The boy stood firm and rolled his hands into fists, ready for what he had to do. "Take the saber. Pull it free!"

Kou wrapped his hands around the saber's handle. Lightning thundered and flashed as Kou pulled the weapon free. The power of the saber knocked Kou from his feet. He fell from the shrine and landed on the ground below.

Kou rose to his feet and looked at the weapon's pommel, which was engraved as the head of a tiger. The tiger engraving moved as if alive when it spoke. "You did it, Kou!" Kou knitted his brow, more than a little surprised at the talking saber while it continued speaking. "It took you long enough. My name is Byakkoshinken. You can call me Byakko. Nice to meet you."

Kou nodded. "Thanks…I guess. You were the voice in my head?"

"Yes, yes," Byakko said with impatience. "Now Kou…your Kiba Changer is inside the totem you sto…umm…borrowed. Use it to become the Kiba Ranger!"

Kou pulled the totem from his pocket. Inside was a wrist brace and golden key. The key was wide, and its end was ring shaped. The brace was black with golden trimming.

Kou placed the brace over his left wrist and strapped the device in place. He held Byakko tightly in his left hand, and the key in his right hand. He had seen the rangers morph twice. He knew what to do.

"Chakra ignite!" he shouted. "Kiba Power!" Kou slid the key into his brace. Golden energy pulsed as the brace emitted a golden symbol of the tiger. Energy flashed around Kou as white armor wrapped around his body.

The boy opened his eyes wide with amazement as his body started to grow taller and his muscles expanded. Golden and white energy flashed around his head as his tiger helmet formed. The golden coin shimmered and slammed against his chest, fusing in place as a chest shield of black with golden trimming appeared.

He was the white-armored Kiba Ranger.

The skies above cleared as Byakko looked up to the newest Ranger. "Now, Kiba Ranger," Byakko said. "Test your new powers!"

Kiba Ranger nodded. "Right!" he tightened his grip on the saber and rolled his other hand into a fist. He felt The Power burning through his veins like white-hot flame.

Kiba Ranger sprang forward and flipped through the air before landing against the side of a tree trunk. He scaled up the tree several feet before pushing off and flipping backward, landing on the ground.

Kiba Ranger launched through a series of lightning-quick backflips. He leapt upward and corkscrewed through the air. The White Ranger landed in the center of a group of boulders.

"Sweet…" Kiba Ranger said as he looked down at his gloved hands.

"Use your Kiryoku, Kou," Byakko said.

Kiba Ranger nodded and sheathed his saber onto his belt. "Kiryoku!" he shouted as he extended his hand forward. A wave of invisible energy slammed against a boulder, pulverizing it into dust. The shockwave slammed against Kiba Ranger, sending him stumbling across the ground.

"Whoa," Kiba Ranger said as he sat up and held onto his saber. "I pack a punch."

"You must control your powers, Kou," Byakko said.

"Easier said then done…" Kiba Ranger said. "Hey…I'm a Ranger now…sweet!"

Kiba Ranger leapt through the air, somersaulted over the Rangers and Gorma, and landed on a tree stump on a grassy hill. The Rangers ran towards him. The Gorma were at the Rangers' heels, the sisters limping forward along with Akomaru.

The White Ranger looked down as the Gorma and Ranger approached. Byakko spoke for Kiba Ranger to hide the boy's voice. "Give up, Gorma!" Byakko shouted. "I am the Heaven Roaring Star, Kiba Ranger!"

Akomaru glared at the Ranger. He needed a new plan. He stepped backward and motioned the Gorma sisters to do the same. "Back…back!"

The Gorma blinked away. The five Rangers ran towards Kiba Ranger, but the White Ranger leapt through the air and vanished from sight.

* * *

Kou walked by the Chinatown park the next day with a proud smile on his face that quickly turned into a mischievous grin. He found a secluded area and pulled out his morpher. "Chakra ignite! Kiba Power!"

Energy flashed around his body as he morphed into his Ranger form. "This is so sweet!" Kiba Ranger shouted as he attached Byakko to his belt, kicked up his skateboard and flipped through the air. "Kiba Ranger, coming through!"

Kiba Ranger dropped his skateboard, hopped on, and started speeding down the streets.

Kiba Ranger sped head-on towards a semi truck. The driver slammed his horn as Kiba Ranger leapt over the semi truck.

The White Ranger landed on the other side of the truck and stumbled onto his tail bone. He looked over to the truck and shouted. "Watch where you're going next time!"

Kiba Ranger laughed beneath his breath as he rose back to his feet. He looked down a nearby sidewalk where a group of girls were walking and giggling amongst themselves. Some of them wore skirts.

The White Ranger extended his hand. "Kiryoku!" Kiba Ranger blasted an invisible pulse of telekinetic energy that lifted the girls' skirts. They screamed and started to run off as Kiba Ranger laughed.

Byakko opened his mouth and roared. The saber emitted a telekinetic pulse of its own that slammed against Kiba Ranger, knocking him across the street and sending him stumbling into a secluded area.

Kou's armor powered down as he rolled to a stop and sat up. He pulled Byakko out of his jacket. "What did you do that for?"

"This is not what your powers were meant for!" the saber shouted. "How long do you plan on fooling around?"

"I was just trying to have some fun," Kou said. "I like transforming."

"But you must act responsibly!" Byakko countered. "Your powers were meant to be used against the Gorma, not against people for practical jokes…and…"

Byakko was cut off as Kou placed a small strand of material around the saber's mouth like a muzzle. Kou stuffed the Tiger Saber back into his jacket. "Now…be quiet and stay in my coat…we don't want people to be suspicious, do we?"

* * *

The five teens walked along a park trail leading towards Kimberly's apartment. "It's been a couple days since we've seen that Kiba Ranger," Adam said.

Billy nodded. "And the Gorma have been kind of quiet. We can only suspect that they're searching for this sixth Ranger."

"So why are we all going back to Kimberly's apartment instead of looking for our new tiger-headed friend?" Rocky asked.

"My Uncle Gohun might have left some clues behind," Kimberly said.

"Did ya hear that, Shaggy?" Rocky said as he placed his hand on Tommy's shoulder. "A clue, zoinks."

Tommy shook his head. "I think you're losing your touch."

Rocky shrugged. "It's been a long couple of days."

The rangers entered the apartment complex and walked up a flight of stairs. They moved down the hall and entered Kimberly's apartment. The rangers stopped in the doorway at what they saw: An elderly couple was using a ladder to move down from the crawlspace in her ceiling. Kou was sitting at the kitchen counter with a video game.

The lady looked up and smiled at them. "Oh you must be Kimberly," the older lady said. "It was so nice of you to offer to let Kou stay with you."

Kimberly wrinkled her brow. "But we didn't…" she shook her head. "What?"

"We were surprised too…" the man said. "Kou has a sister."

"We were friends of his mother's," the lady said. "She died when he was 5, and we've been taking care of him since."

"She's not dead," Kou said, his eyes glued to the game console. "She's missing. She'll be back."

"Well," the man said. "Everything's moved upstairs. Time to go."

The older lady gave Kou a hug and kissed him on the cheek. "Now don't forget to brush your teeth everyday and to change your underwear."

"You're embarrassing me…" Kou said.

"Thanks again," Kou's female guardian said. "We have a produce market in Chinatown." She handed Kimberly a business card as she left with her husband.

"But…" Kimberly tried to say as they shut the door.

Kou stuffed the game console in his pocket and climbed up the ladder. Kimberly turned to him. "Kou, what do you…" but he was already upstairs.

"Looks like you have a new roommate," Rocky said with a smile as he leaned on Kimberly's shoulder. She glared at him.

Kou sat on a sleeping bag in the small crawlspace and pulled Byakko from his jacket. He removed the muzzle from the saber. "Kou, don't you ever do that to me again…It's my job to guide and help you. Now…why did you move in here! You can't let the Rangers or the Gorma find out who you are."

Kou shrugged. "Kimberly seems…nice. And I was getting sick of the grocers anyway. Besides, if I stay here, I can follow the Rangers' movements."

"Ha Ha!" Byakko said. "You have a crush on someone older than you!"

"What?"

"You're blushing!"

"Shut up!" Kou said as he threw Byakko across the room. The saber hit a box and landed on the floor.

"I was just kidding…" Byakko said.

* * *

Akomaru stood with his back to the Gorma Triumvirate as he faced the Kanjo sisters at the Guan Yu Shrine. The three Gorma leaders stared mockingly at Akomaru.

"What are you going to do now, Akomaru?" Shadam asked. "Thanks to you, the Kiba Ranger was born."

"And now we have another Ranger to deal with," Gara said.

Akomaru turned to face his father. "My mission is to find out who the Kiba Ranger is, and lure him to the Gorma."

Shadam scoffed. "You can't do that."

Akomaru walked towards the three Gorma. "Father…I hate you. Just as I hate the mother who abandoned me. I…well…you will see. Hmph." Akomaru turned to face the sisters. "The Kiba Ranger is a boy like me. He will have the symbol of the tiger on his forearm. Find him."

The sisters nodded, stepped backward, and vanished.

* * *

The next morning, Kou slid down the ladder from the attic. He landed on the carpet below and noticed Kimberly walking towards the kitchen counter with a tray of juice and pancakes. "Good morning," she said.

Kou's face lit up. "You made me breakfast?"

Kimberly nodded as she set the tray down on the kitchen counter. "I've thought it over and decided to let you stay here."

"Thanks…" Kou said as he sat opposite of Kimberly at the counter. "I…It's been hard living with those two grocers…they never really had time for me…they treated me like a nuisance...I've been feeling kind of lonely."

Kimberly shook her head. "I'm sorry."

The phone rang, and Kimberly answered it. "Hello?….Yes…just a second…" She extended the phone to Kou. "It's for you, Kou."

Kou's face lit up. "Me?" he picked up the phone. "Hello?"

The voice on the other end spoke with a strange tone. "Kou…it's your mother…I miss you…meet me at the park…" Rocky was whispering in a telephone booth outside talking in a feminine voice. "I hope you've been good while I've been gone."

Kou's face lit up. "Yes…I'm on my way." Kou hung up the phone and practically leapt from seat as he grabbed his skateboard and backpack. "That was my mom! I'm going to go meet her!"

Kimberly leaned back and sighed, partially with relief and partially with guilt. A closet door near the back of the apartment opened and Adam, Billy, and Tommy stepped out.

"Well," Billy said as he walked over to the attic. "Let's load this stuff into Rocky's truck."

"You guys," Kimberly said as she walked over to them. "I don't know. I feel bad doing this to him."

"He'll be fine back at the grocers," Tommy said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Besides, your mother would kill you if she found a kid living in your attic."

"She'd never find out because she's never here," Kimberly said. Kou was a spoiled brat with no sense of manners. But when she spoke with him a few minutes ago, she could see the pain in his eyes. It was a look Kimberly knew well. Her father was gone. She never saw her mother. A look of abandonment.

"It will all work out," Tommy said.

* * *

The teens loaded Kou's possessions into the back of the truck. Adam was at the wheel, and Billy was in the passenger seat. Tommy was sitting in the back of the truck. He had one of Kou's bags under his arm.

"Kim's right," Tommy said as he stared at the bag.

A group of kids suddenly ran screaming across the street as Adam skid the truck to a halt. Tommy turned and wrinkled his brow with confusion. "What the…"

Rocky ran towards the teens from the other side of the street. "It's our Gorma buddies," Rocky said. "This way."

The rangers hopped from the truck and ran around a corner, heading in the direction from where the kids were running from. They spotted the three Gorma sisters, plucking kids from their feet and tearing away their shirt sleeves.

"Gorma!" Tommy shouted as he and the others ran forward.

The sisters had no time for conflict. They blinked away.

Tommy activated his wrist communicator. "Kim…the Gorma are out. We need you."

Kimberly answered. "Okay. I'm on my way."

* * *

Kimberly ran outside of her apartment complex and stopped in her tracks when she saw Kou. The boy's jaw was clenched and his eyes ready to break into tears.

"Kou…" Kimberly started to say through her guilt.

"Bakka bakka bakka!" Kou yelled as he ran towards Kim. "Why did you do that to me. Make me think that my mom…"

"Kou…I'm sorry. It's just…my mother probably wouldn't like you staying with us and…"

"So you dump me on the street? Just like everyone else!" Kou said.

Kimberly shook her head and placed her hands on the boy's shoulder. "No it's not like that, I…"

"No!" Kou yelled as he knocked Kimberly's hands away. "Never mind! I'll live on my own. I don't need you! You're just like everyone else!" he sprinted away towards the wooded park.

"Kou!" Kimberly yelled as she chased after him.

* * *

Kou ran down a path through the park as fast as he could while wiping the tears from his eyes. Everyone in his life left him. Everyone.

One of the Kanjo sisters stepped across the path while in her human form. Kou skid to a halt when he saw her and tripped over his own feet, falling backward onto his tailbone. She cast a wicked smile down at him and stalked forward. "Could you be the one?"

Kou slid backward and glared at the Gorma. "Leave me alone!"

The sister reached down and grabbed Kou by the arm. He screamed at her while kicking, trying to pull his arm away. She pulled back his sleeve. Her eyes opened wide at what she saw on his upper arm: a tattoo of a tiger. "You are!"

"Let go!" Kou shouted as his mind flashed back…

_A young Kou, no older than five, sat on the floor of a strange shrine at night. He was crying as his mother held tightly onto his arm. "Let go, momma!" he shouted, unable to understand what was happening. _

_Kou's mother's face was damp with tears, pained by her own grief. Pained by what she had to put her son through. She finished heating an iron stamp with the symbol of the tiger. "I'm sorry, Kou…I must do this…" _

_Kou was still crying, trying desperately to take his arm away._

_She burned the tiger clamp onto his arm as he screamed. "Kou!" she shouted, dropping the clamp aside and reaching forward, embracing her son as they both cried. _

The Kanjo sister continued to stalk towards Kou. "You are the Kiba Ranger," the sister said as she smiled wickedly.

Kimberly ran to the scene and spotted the Gorma. She leapt through the air and slammed a flying kick against the villain, knocking her backward. Kimberly landed between Kou and the villain. She looked back to the boy. "Kou, run."

Kou nodded and ran off as the Gorma transformed into her monster form. It was the Earring Kanjo.

Kimberly thrust her arm forward. "Kiryoku!" she fired an invisible telekinetic blast that smashed against the villain and knocked her backward.

The monster ricocheted off a tree and leapt back towards Kimberly while chopping her double-edged sword downward. Kimberly grabbed the villain by the wrist and flipped the monster through the air, swinging the Gorma around to bash her against the ground.

The villain slowly rose to her feet as the other rangers arrived at the scene and regrouped around Kimberly.

The rangers armed their morphers. "Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms. The Rangers snapped into fighting stances.

"Dragon Ranger! Heaven Fire Star, Red!"

"Lion Ranger! Heaven Illusion Star, Green!"

"Tenma Ranger! Heaven Gravity Star, Blue!"

"Kirin Ranger! Heaven Time Star, Yellow!"

"Phoenix Ranger! Heaven Wind Star, Pink!"

Dragon Ranger lifted his hand towards the air. "Power of the Stars, brought down…" Together, they shouted: "Heaven Star Task Force…Power Rangers!"

The Gorma monster and Rangers charged towards each other.

* * *

Kou ran towards the edge of the wooded park. He could have stayed and helped Kimberly. He could have transformed into Kiba Ranger. But he chose not to, not after what Kimberly had done to him.

He skid to a stop near a trail when he saw Akomaru riding in his chariot. Their gazes met again as they exchanged cold stares.

Byakko wiggled to get Kou's attention. "Kou! Kou!" the saber peeked out of the boy's jacket. "The Rangers need your help!"

"Why should I help them?" Kou said as he turned his back towards the chariot, which moved off towards the distance. "You heard what they did to me."

"Kooou…" Byakko was losing patience. "You are one of them now. It's your responsibility to help them."

* * *

The other four Rangers had regrouped with Phoenix Ranger, and the battle moved to a rock quarry nearby. The three Gorma sisters split up and attacked the Rangers with pulses of crimson energy.

A blast exploded against Phoenix Ranger's chest with a burst of spark and knocked her backward. The Pink Ranger went stumbling across the ground as Earring Kanjo lashed out with a hair tentacle and wrapped the tentacle around Phoenix Ranger. The villain lifted Pink Ranger into the air and squeezed tightly.

The other Rangers battled nearby. Ring Kanjo blocked a kick by Lion Ranger and bashed the Green Ranger across the helmet, knocking him away.

Tenma Ranger moved in with a backfist swing towards the Gorma, but the sister blocked the blow and slammed two punches against the Blue Ranger's gut, knocking the wind from his lungs and sending him stumbling backward.

Necklace Kanjo wrapped her own flexible, stretched neck around Dragon Ranger and flipped him through the air. Red Ranger crashed against the ground as Kirin Ranger moved in with a roundkick towards the Gorma's head. The villain blocked the blow and slammed a backfist across the Ranger's head.

Akomaru watched the battle from his chariot on a cliff above. He was anxious for the battle to end and the Rangers to die, but the only way one could see that through his calm, cold facade was when he blew his whistle.

Kou had arrived at the scene as well and watched from behind a pile of gravel and dirt. He watched as a tentacle of hair lifted Phoenix Ranger and suspended her in the air while squeezing. The Gorma sent a shock of crimson energy along the tendril that exploded against the Pink Ranger's armor.

"Phoenix Ranger…" Kou whispered as he watched sparks rip across her armor.

Byakko peeked out from Kou's jacket. "You must help them, Kou…it's time to use your powers as they were intended, not just to goof off."

"But…" Kou said doubtfully.

"You can do it, Kou," Byakko said to reassure the boy. "Your Ki is strong."

Kou watched another explosion spark against Pink Ranger's armor. Determination willed him to his feet as his muscles tensed.

"Morph, Kou," Byakko said.

Kou readied his morpher: a wrist brace and golden key. "Chakra ignite! Kiba Power!" Energy shimmered around his body as he matured and morphed into his Ranger form.

* * *

Phoenix Ranger was held in the air as Earring Kanjo grinned with blood-thirsty delight. "And now you die!"

A white saber suddenly slashed down through the air and cut the hair tentacle. Kiba Ranger somersaulted forward through the air and landed on the ground.

Phoenix Ranger collapsed to the ground as the Gorma monster fell backward. Kiba Ranger snapped into a fighting stance and faced off with the Gorma as she rose to her feet.

Kiba Ranger leapt backward and landed on a cliff above.

The Rangers and Gorma below looked up to the White Ranger as he snapped into another fighting stance. Byakko spoke for the Ranger. "Heaven Roaring Star! Kiba Ranger!" Kiba Ranger aimed his saber down towards the villains. "Give up, Gorma! You are no match for me!"

"We'll see!" Earring Kanjo shouted as she sprang forward through the air, landing on the same level as Kiba Ranger. The opponents assumed fighting stances and started circling around each other. Kiba Ranger's stance was solid and fierce.

The opponents charged at each other. Earring Kanjo moved in low to sweep the legs out from the Ranger, but Kiba Ranger hopped over the leg. The White Ranger turned and snapped a roundkick towards the head that Earring Kanjo blocked.

Kiba Ranger's movements were powerful but not nearly as fluid and graceful as the other Rangers.

The Gorma spun a high crescent kick that Kiba Ranger ducked under. Earring Kanjo completed the spin and snapped a roundkick towards the Ranger's head. Kiba Ranger used both hands to block the blow and knock the Gorma's leg away.

The sister swung another backfist strike that Kiba Ranger blocked and pushed away. He reached forward and slammed a cross punch against the Gorma, knocking her backward.

The sister spun forward, slashing claws across the Ranger's faceplate and slamming a reverse sidekick against the White Ranger's chest. She followed with a double punch against the Ranger's chest and a round kick against his side. Kiba Ranger stumbled backward and fell off his feet.

The sister stalked towards the White Ranger. She smiled mockingly. "The mighty Kiba Ranger…ha!"

Byakko looked up to his holder. "You're stronger than her, Kou!"

Kiba Ranger shook his head. "Tell that to her!"

"Ha!" Byakko shouted as he speared towards the Gorma while dragging Kiba Ranger along.

The White Ranger spun past the monster while slashing her upward across the chest, blade sparking upon impact.

Byakko snapped the White Ranger around to face the Gorma. Kiba Ranger swung downward in an x-shaped pattern that sparked against the villain, forcing her back a few steps. White Ranger followed with a downward swing that sparked against the monster's body.

"Jump, Kou!" Byakko shouted. Kiba Ranger sprang forward towards his opponent. "Kick!" Kiba Ranger kicked out with both legs, his heels slamming against the monster. White Ranger pushed off the villain's chest and somersaulted backward through the air before landing on the ground in a crouched position.

"Attack!" Byakko shouted. Kiba Ranger sprang forward and slashed the villain horizontally, blade sparking across her body as she fell back off her feet and went tumbling across the ground.

Kiba Ranger twirled Byakko into a fighting stance as the saber spoke for the Ranger. "Do you want some more, Gorma!"

The sister stumbled back to her feet.

"Heaven Roaring Star!" Byakko shouted. The saber energized with golden power as Kiba Ranger thrust the blade upward. "Sound Bite!"

The blade emitted a high-frequency energy pulse that rocked the earth beneath their feet, sending a destructive wave of sonic energy roaring forward. The blast exploded against the Gorma, knocking her through the air like a rag doll.

The other sisters came to their fallen sister's aide and helped her to her feet. They blinked away.

* * *

The Sankanjo walked towards Akomaru at the Guan Yu Shrine. Lady Necklace and Lady Ring carried Lady Earring between them. Earring Kanjo was so weak, she could barely keep her head up or walk on her own. Blood dripped down her forehead.

Akomaru ran towards them. His normally cold face was broken with shock.

"Kiba Ranger…" Earring Kanjo said weakly. "He is strong…"

Akomaru knitted his brow with anger. "What...he did this to you?"

The dying sister nodded. "Yes…I found him…he is…is" her eyes closed and her body went limp as she exhaled her last breath.

"No!" the other sisters shouted as they cradled Earring Kanjo's body.

A realization struck Akomaru. His mind flashed back to seeing Kou. The young Gorma put two and two together as he snapped his whistle. "Damn you, Kiba Ranger…"

* * *

Kou stood on a concrete pier that looked out upon the wide river below. He leaned on the railing and stared out aimlessly. Kim walked to his side and held up the boy's skateboard. "This is yours, isn't it?"

"Thanks…" Kou said quietly. His shoulders hung low.

Kimberly leaned against the rail. "I've been rethinking this whole you staying in my apartment thing." Kou's face lit up. "I know what it feels like to be neglected…I don't want you to feel that way." She sighed. "So…you can stay with me for awhile."

"Really?"

"Just for a while. Until we can find you someplace permanent. But you have to follow the rules," Kimberly said.

"All right!" Kou shouted as he started jumping up and down. "Thank you!"

Kimberly laughed as Kou ran around her.

**To be continued…**


	11. Deception

**Deception**

A pair of Kyonshi dragged a black chariot out from the fog at night. The chariot's wooden wheels squeaked as they rolled across an asphalt trail surrounded by trees. Akomaru sat alone in the chariot. He blew on his new whistle, the equivalent of tapping his fingers with impatience.

Shadam stepped onto the path and stood in front of the chariot with his arms crossed.

"Shadam…" Akomaru wrinkled his brow as he glared at his father.

"How much longer are you going to keep the Kiba Ranger's identity to yourself? He's to be destroyed."

Akomaru did not have time for his father's games. He would not give his father the pleasure. "Father…the source of the Gorma's power is-"

"Hate," Shadam said, cutting off Akomaru. "That's obvious."

"Yes," Akomaru said. "That's how I became who I am today. My hatred for you and the mother who abandoned me."

"So what?" Shadam said, quickly losing patience.

"I will get the Kiba Ranger to feel that hatred too. In that way, Gorma blood will flow through him. The hidden power will then come out."

The chariot continued on, leaving Shadam behind. Shadam glared in the boy's direction. _I should have killed the boy when I had the chance…_

* * *

"Kou!" Kimberly shouted as she set the breakfast table. "You're going to be late for school…Kou!" she climbed up to the attic and shook him to wake him. But he would not move. "Kou…"

His alarm went off, and he hopped out of bed. Kou jetted down the ladder while looking up at her. "Better hurry, sister. You'll be late for school." He laughed and ran towards the table. Kimberly smiled as she sighed and shook her head.

* * *

Kou rode on his skateboard as fast as possible towards his school in Chinatown. For the first time in a long time, he was actually happy, so he wasn't worried about being late.

Kou snuck into the back of the classroom quietly. He saw a cute new Chinese girl at the front of the class. She was being introduced by the teacher. "And we would like to welcome our new student…"

Someone pulled a chair out from Kou as he went to sit down. Kou yelped as he fell onto his tailbone. His classmates laughed as the girl smiled at him. Kou blushed and smiled back at her with his cheesiest grin.

* * *

Billy's car was parked at the curb in front of Kou's elementary school. Rocky was in the passenger seat and hunched against the door. "This sure takes long enough…"

"We're doing it to help Kim," Billy said.

Rocky raised an eyebrow. "You have a thing for her don't you?"

Billy blushed. "That's ridiculous," he said. "Besides…she's with Tommy."

Rocky nodded and grinned. "Riiiight." Through the corner of his eye, Rocky saw Kou hurrying from school with his skateboard and book bag in hand. "There's Kou."

Kou dropped his board and rode past the car while tossing his book bag inside the teen's car. "Hey guys. Can't go. Got a date. Thanks."

Rocky raised his eyebrows. "Did he just say date?"

* * *

Kou skated through a wooded strip of parkland, a short cut on his way to his date. He skid to a stop when he noticed a light fog drift in from the trees. Akomaru stepped forward from the fog. The two Kanjo monsters were at his side.

"I came to greet you, Kou," Akomaru said.

Kou took a few steps back. "Greet me?"

The sisters fired pulses of energy that exploded against the ground in front of Kou with a small shockwave that knocked him off his feet.

Akomaru smiled mockingly at the young ranger while stalking forward. "Transform…"

Kou shook his head as he backed up across the ground. "You're crazy."

"Maybe…" Akomaru said. "Now transform…transform or you'll die."

Kou moved backward as Byakko whispered from the young ranger's jacket. "Kou, he's trying to prove you're the Kiba Ranger. Don't transform carelessly."

"Easy for you to say," Kou mumbled.

"Kou!" Rocky and Billy ran towards Kou from the edge of the woods.

"Them…" Akomaru grumbled. "Kyonshi!"

Kyonshi appeared and rushed towards the two teens. Kou took advantage of Akomaru's distraction to run for cover.

"Chakra ignite!" Rocky and Billy connected their braces as energy shimmered around them and they morphed into their armor.

Tenma Ranger armed his twin nunchuku and bashed the weapons across a soldier's head. Two soldiers tried to sneak up behind the Blue Ranger. Tenma Ranger reached back and slammed his weapons against the soldiers' faces, knocking the black grunts backward.

Kirin Ranger tossed his roped blade forward. The blade speared into a grunt's throat. The Yellow Ranger pulled the soldier off its feet, and the grunt slammed back-first against the ground. Kirin Ranger drop elbowed the soldier, bashing in its ribs on impact.

Kou scurried away as Byakko peeked his head out from the boy's jacket. "Kou…behind the bush." He ducked behind the bush. "Stick me in the ground. They know my voice as the Kiba Ranger. I'll distract them while you transform."

Kou nodded and stuck Byakko in the ground. As Kou came out from the bush, the two Gorma sisters and Akomaru ambushed him, causing Kou to fall against his tailbone. Akomaru smiled mockingly. "What are you going to do now? You have no choice," Akomaru said as he walked towards Kou.

Kou shuffled backward on the ground.

"Kou!" Tenma Ranger shouted as he and Kirin Ranger continued to battle Kyonshi.

"Gorma!" Byakko shouted from within the woods. "I'm over here!"

Akomaru knitted his brow with confusion. "This way!" he shouted as he and the two sisters ran towards the voice.

Kou ducked for cover and readied his wrist brace and golden key. "Chakra ignite, Kiba Power!" Energy flashed around Kou and surged through every cell in his body, causing him to mature as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Kiba Ranger sprang through the air and launched into a somersault before landing near Byakko. The White Ranger pulled his saber from the ground and snapped into a fighting stance as he faced off with Akomaru and the two Gorma monsters.

"Kiba Ranger," Akomaru cursed.

"You'll never learn, will you, boy?" Byakko said.

Kiba Ranger leapt through the air with his saber held high and angled his descent towards Akomaru.

Necklace Kanjo unsheathed her sword and stood in front of her young master. The White Ranger's sword clashed against her own. The opponents pressed their weapons against each other as they turned, each trying to gain the advantage.

Kiba Ranger twisted his wrist and slapped the Gorma's sword away. The White Ranger brought his blade back down diagonally, slashing across the monster's body with a burst of spark.

Kiba Ranger pressed forward and speared his saber towards the Gorma's head. Earring Kanjo grabbed the blade between her hands, twisted the weapon aside, and slammed a backfist strike against the Ranger's helmet.

Kiba Ranger stumbled backward and fell to the ground. It must have been the fall that reminded him. "Ah!" he practically shouted, kicking himself for forgetting. "My date!"

Kiba Ranger turned and ran from the scene.

A sly grin crossed Akomaru's face. He and the Gorma sisters stepped backward and blinked away. The Kyonshi vanished in the midst of fighting against the two Rangers.

"Short, but fun," Tenma Ranger said.

The other three teens ran to the scene. "Are you guys okay?" Tommy asked.

"Yes," Kirin Ranger said.

"What happened?" Tommy asked.

"Well, Kou…" Tenma Ranger looked around, noticing that the boy was gone. "Uh…where'd he go?"

* * *

The girl, Miko, sat at a bench at the Angel Grove Central amusement park. Carousels and rides lined the concrete path her bench was on. She looked down at her watch to check the time.

"Hey!" Kou yelled as he waved and ran towards her. "Sorry I'm late."

"You're not late," she said. "You're right on time."

Kou smiled sheepishly and breathed a sigh of relief. "Well how about that."

Miko reached out and placed her hand over Kou's hand. Kou smiled, and his face turned slightly red. Miko rose from the bench and moved towards the nearest carousel while leading Kou by the hand.

They rode on the carousel. Kou and Miko shared one of the horses while they joked about their teacher. They bought ice-cream cones and shared a few laughs when Kou got ice cream on his nose. Then they headed off towards the nearest roller coaster.

The tilt-a-whirl, a merry go round, and a haunted house. They tried it all and lost track of time. Kou and Miko sat on one of the carnival benches as the sun started to set. They both licked another set of ice-cream cones.

Kou looked to the setting sun in the distance. "I better go soon…Kimberly's probably worried."

"Who?"

"Kimberly," Kou said. "She lets me live with her."

Miko tilted her head. "What about your mom?"

Kou immediately felt a lump in his throat at the thought…

_A young Kou, no older than five, sat on the floor of a strange shrine at night. He was crying as his mother held tightly onto his arm. "Let go, momma!" he shouted, unable to understand what was happening. _

_His mother's face was damp with tears. She was pained by her own grief. Pained by what she had to put her son through. She finished heating an iron stamp with the symbol of the tiger. "I'm sorry, Kou…I must do this…" _

_Kou was still crying, trying desperately to take his arm away._

_She burned the tiger clamp onto his arm as he screamed. "Kou!" she shouted, dropping the clamp aside and reaching forward to embrace her son as they both cried. _

"Kou?" Miko said, snapping Kou out of the flashback.

"Oh…sorry…" Kou said, shaking his head. "My mom left when I was younger."

Miko lowered her gaze. "Sometimes I wish my mom would leave…" she whispered.

Kou knitted his brow. It was typical for kids to disagree with their parents, or so he'd heard, but something in the girl's voice betrayed more than mother-daughter squabbles.

* * *

Kou walked Miko home through a subdivision of lean apartment buildings crammed next to each other. The subdivision was just inside of Chinatown. They walked hand-in-hand. "So did you have fun?" Kou asked.

She smiled at him. "Yeah…"

Miko's mother walked from the apartment building. The woman looked like she was in a hurry as she dug through her purse for a cell phone. Miko moved over to her and placed a hand on her arm. "Mom! I want you to meet Kou."

The woman slapped Miko's hand away and kept moving. "There's no time. Go tuck yourself in. It's getting late."

Kou narrowed his eyes at the woman as she walked away.

* * *

"You went on a date?" Tommy asked Kou in disbelief. The teens were outside Kimberly's apartment, after searching the city for Kou all evening.

"You should have said something," Adam said.

"Sorry," Kou said quietly before turning and walking away.

"Kou…what's wrong?" Kimberly asked.

Kou ignored them and kept walking. He moved to a small set of playground equipment behind the apartments and climbed up. He sat on top of the playground and stared ahead aimlessly.

Rocky followed Kou and climbed up the slide before sitting back-to-back with Kou. "Nice night." Rocky said.

"Hmph."

"They were only upset because they were worried about you," Rocky said. "We care about you."

"I don't see why," Kou said. "My own mother didn't even."

Rocky shook his head. "Maybe she had a good reason for leaving."

"Doubt it," Kou said.

"It'll all work out," Rocky said. "Wherever your mom is…she loves you. All moms love their kids."

Kou shook his head.

* * *

Kou decided to stop at Miko's house the next day before school. Seeing the way her mother treated her unnerved Kou. The boy skateboarded in front of her apartment and pulled to a stop. He could see Miko and the woman inside.

Miko was arguing with her mother. The woman was clearly losing patience. The woman grabbed Miko by the arm and pinched her skin hard. Kou heard Miko scream from outside.

* * *

Kou avoided Miko until after school. Afterward, they walked to a pond in the nearby park so they could talk. Kou admitted what he saw. Miko tried to explain the uncomfortable subject as she stared out at the pond waters.

"She's always been like that…it's my fault though," Miko said.

Rocky watched from a distance. He had gone to Kou's school to pick him up and followed the boy when he snuck from the back of the school building with Miko.

"No it's not," Kou said. "You need to tell someone."

"Like who?" the girl asked.

A pale tentacle suddenly lashed out from the woods and wrapped around Miko's ankles. The tendril snapped her off her feet and started dragging her away as she screamed.

"Miko!" Kou yelled as he ran after her.

In her monster form, Necklace Kanjo grabbed hold of Miko as Kou ran forward.

Rocky dashed out from hiding to face off with the monster. "Let her go, Gorma!"

The sister laughed. "Now why would I want to do that?"

"Rocky!" Kou's eyes lit up as he grabbed hold of Rocky's arm and stood behind the ranger.

The Gorma laughed again. "I'd like to see you try and start something."

"You got it," Rocky yelled as he ran towards the Gorma. The Gorma extended her hand and fired a golden energy ring that wrapped around Rocky, binding his arms down against his body.

The Gorma grabbed Miko and ran further into the wooded park. Kou ran after them, calling Miko's name.

"Kou don't!" Rocky shouted. He started to run afterward, despite his bound upper body.

Ring Kanjo leapt down from above and landed in front of Rocky. She grabbed him by the throat and hurled him backward. The teen went tumbling across the ground.

The other Rangers leapt to the scene. "Fire Stream!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he jumped through the air and blasted the monster. Dragon Ranger landed as he and the others gathered around Rocky.

"Star Cutter!" Lion Ranger used his short saber to cut Rocky loose.

"Rocky," Dragon Ranger said. "It's morphin time."

Rocky nodded and armed his morphers. "Chakra ignite…Aura Power!"

The Rangers snapped into fighting stances together as they faced off with Ring Kanjo. "Power of the stars, brought down…Heaven Star Task Force, Power Rangers!"

The Gorma snapped a staff into a fighting position. "My sister's death will be avenged," the monster said.

"We'll see," Dragon Ranger said. The Rangers energized and leapt forward to attack.

"Thunder Swords!" Dragon Ranger and Phoenix Ranger angled their descent towards the Gorma and swung their blades towards the villain's head while landing.

The Gorma held her staff horizontally to block their blows and knocked their weapons aside. The villain lunged towards Kirin Ranger next and grabbed the Yellow Ranger by the throat. Ring Kanjo hurled Kirin Ranger off his feet and sent him slamming against Lion Ranger.

Tenma Ranger surprised the Gorma from the side with a screw kick that slammed against her body. Ring Kanjo slammed to the ground and tumbled backward. The villain slowly rose to her feet and held her staff in a mid-body level fighting stance.

"Thunder Staff!" Blue Ranger twirled the red staff into a fighting position.

The opponents stood face-to-face as they dashed sideways, each waiting for the other to make the first move.

Tenma Ranger sprang forward first, and the Gorma followed. Their staffs clashed in midair as they flipped past each other and landed on the ground.

The Gorma dashed towards Tenma Ranger, spinning forward and bashing the end of her staff across the Ranger's helmet. Blue Ranger spun with the blow and snapped a tornado kick that bashed across the villain, knocking her backward.

The Gorma moved in low and swung the end of her staff upward, bashing Tenma Ranger against the gut and knocking him backward, sending him flying backward through the air. The Blue Ranger twisted through the air and slammed his feet against a tree, got a solid footing, and pushed off.

Tenma Ranger sprang forward and used his staff to pole vault forward and slam a kick against the Gorma. The villain went stumbling backward as Tenma Ranger landed and pushed forward.

"Thunder Blaster!" he shouted, firing lances of blue energy that exploded against the villain before she could strike back.

"It's been real," Tenma Ranger said as he continued forward. "Tenma Flash Kick!" The Blue Ranger launched forward, spinning a flurry of energized flash kicks that slammed across the villain with streaks of blue.

The final kick bashed the Gorma backward, sending her tumbling across the ground as she slid backward, tearing up grass and dirt.

The Rangers regrouped around Tenma Ranger. "Good job, Rocky," Dragon Ranger said.

The injured Gorma rose to her feet. "Bastards…" she hissed while taking a step backward and blinking away.

Tenma Ranger looked around. "Kou…"

"What?" Phoenix Ranger asked.

"He followed that other sister freak," Tenma Ranger said as he ran off.

* * *

Kou stopped running and collapsed to his knees at the base of a grassy hill. He was out of breath, and the Gorma that took Miko was nowhere in sight.

Akomaru stood on top of the hill and looked down towards Kou's back. A glimmer of evil delight sparkled in his dark eyes. "Let the anger well up inside you…Then not even the tiger brand will be able to keep the evil in you locked up."

Kou rolled his hands into fists. His jaws clenched, his eyes narrowed, Kou climbed to his feet.

* * *

Kou and the other rangers regrouped at the park where Miko was kidnapped. "We should go find her mother," Tommy said. "Make up some kind of cover story."

Kou shook his head. "It won't work. She doesn't care. I tried telling her and she pushed me away."

"That's parenting," Rocky said sarcastically.

"It's not funny!" Kou shouted.

"I…I know," Rocky said.

Kou snarled in frustration and ran off. "This is all my fault!"

"Kou!" Kimberly called after him, but she let him go.

Kaku stepped out of the shadows as Kou ran by. The sensei knew the young boy's identity. Perhaps the time had come to confront him.

* * *

A dusty-red hue covered part of the mountain range outside the city. Metallic Gorma spheres hovered in the air while surrounding an upside-down, pyramid-shaped temple of stone. The symbol of a Gorma third eye was etched on each side of the temple.

Two columns of marble lined the blood-red carpet path within the main temple chambers, scarcely lit with flickering torches. The carpet led to a platform with a large, dull-golden gong.

The Shogun and Akomaru stood side-by-side as they faced the Gorma Triumvirate, standing in front of the gong. Shadam's arms were crossed over his chest. "This is a waste of time."

"Oh, Shadam," the Shogun said. "Your impatience will get you killed someday."

Shadam glared at the Shogun. The general's muscles tightened as he clenched his jaw. Shadam could barely keep himself from reaching out and choking the Shogun to death.

"We will go before the Emperor," the Shogun said. "And I will request that Akomaru become field commander of his forces…instead of you…"

The Shogun turned towards the front of the gong. "Emperor," the Shogun said as he got down on his knees. "We await you!"

A smaller metal sphere arced down towards the carpet and stopped in front of the gong. The sphere flashed with dark light that materialized into a man dressed in solid black. He stood in front of the gong. He wore a dark-brown wooden mask that covered the top half of his face.

The man extended a tray that held two wooden masks. Shadam and the Shogun placed on the masks. Shadam kneeled as well. The floor beneath them slightly trembled. Two flat-topped columns rose to extend Shadam and the Shogun several stories upward.

Both columns came to a stop. A hovering platform was suspended slightly higher in midair in front of them. The emperor sat on the pillar. White robes flowed across his body. His face was painted white, and he wore a white headpiece that exposed the third eye at the center of his head. He held a small windmill that spun slowly in his right hand.

Shadam and the Shogun rose to their feet. "Emperor," Shadam said. "I…"

The emperor threw his windmill. It attached to the Shogun's chest. "You…speak…" the emperor said. His voice was high-pitched and echoed with insanity.

Shogun inclined his head. "I am honored."

The emperor laughed with amusement. He waved his hand flippantly, signaling the Shogun to speak.

"Akomaru should command your forces," the Shogun said. "It was he who knew the secret of the Kiba Ranger…"

"Who has now joined with the Rangers…" Shadam was quick to point out.

"Silence, Shadam," the emperor said.

The Shogun took a step forward on the small pedestal. "If we could have had an army at our command, Byakkoshinken could have belonged to us."

The emperor looked to Shadam, indicating it was now his turn to speak. "Shadam."

Shadam pulled out a crystal sphere. "What's done is done. Kiba Ranger is one of them now…but I can ensure we don't make the same mistake with another opportunity." The ball projected pictures of the Thunderzords. "Ryuseiou, Sei Tenma, Sei Shishi, Sei Houhou, Sei Kirin…they are a constant pain in our sides...but there is another…Won Tiger. If we find it first, we can either use it against the Rangers, or simply destroy it to keep it out of their hands."

The emperor rose, and his platform floated closer to the Shogun and Shadam. The emperor removed the windmill from the Shogun and pinned it on Shadam. The emperor smiled, a glimmer of insanity in his eyes. He laughed with madness as he leaned backward. "Now go…"

* * *

Kou stood on a wooded pier that looked out from the other side of Crane Pond. He leaned against the wooden railing and placed his chin on his arms. Kaku stepped up besides the boy. "What troubles you, Kiba Ranger?"

"Huh?" Kou asked as he took a step back in shock. "How did you…?"

"Don't worry," Kaku said. "I won't tell the others."

"Ahhh…" Byakko peeked his head out from Kou's jacket and looked up at the sensei.. "Kaku…"

"Byakkoshinken," Kaku said. "It's good to see you again."

"You too, old man, but I wish it could have been under better circumstances," the saber said. "I have a bad feeling…"

"…me too…"

"…Won Tiger…"

Kaku nodded. "…we must get to it first…"

Kou shook his head. "What?"

* * *

The Gorma Triumvirate toasted to their victory while at the Guan Yu Shrine in Chinatown. A small needle suddenly shot through the air and cut Shadam across the face, drawing a thin line of red blood. He looked up to see Akomaru approaching with the two Gorma sisters in their human forms.

"Don't count me out yet, Shadam," Akomaru said. "Kiba Ranger will be mine…the Gorma will be mine…and you will be dead."

Shadam's body tightened with rage. His fist clenched, shattering his glass.

* * *

Kou stood in front of Miko's empty apartment building. _That poor girl_, Kou thought to himself. She had such a hard life, and now Kou had made things worse. He only hoped she was still alive. She had to be. Or the Gorma would pay. "Miko…"

A mailman on a bicycle rode past Kou. He handed the boy a letter before riding off. "This is for you…"

Kou opened the letter. "It's from Akomaru…" he wrinkled his brow as he read. "Miko…"

* * *

Kou ran through the city to an industrial park, north of the docks along Angel Grove East. The river that separated Angel Grove from Stone Canyon spilled into a massive lake along the border of Angel Grove East. Kou hopped a chain-link fence and moved towards the warehouse that was half open.

He moved into the warehouse and saw Miko tied to a post inside. "Miko!" he shouted as he ran to her.

"Kou!" she shouted back as Kou leaned down and untied her.

Kou grabbed her hand and helped her to her feet as they dashed towards the warehouse exit and moved towards the pier, where Kou hoped there would be people.

They made it to the pier and found Miko's mother standing near the railing. The mother had a stern look on her face. "Mom!" Miko shouted as she ran towards her mother.

The mother grabbed Miko's wrist. "This is the last time," she said. "Where have you been?"

"I…"

"No more excuses…we'll see how well you do on your own," she pushed her own daughter to the ground and started walking away.

"Mom!" Miko pleaded, tears down her face.

Kou clenched his jaw as he thought back to his own mother.

_A young Kou, no older than five, sat on the floor of a strange shrine at night. He was crying as his mother held tightly onto his arm. "Let go, momma!" he shouted, unable to understand what was happening. _

_Kou's mother's face was damp with tears. She was pained by her own grief. Pained by what she had to put her son through. She finished heating an iron stamp with the symbol of the tiger. "I'm sorry, Kou…I must do this…" _

_Kou was still crying, trying desperately to take his arm away._

_She burned the tiger clamp onto his arm as he screamed. "Kou!" she shouted, dropping the clamp aside and reaching forward, embracing her son as they both cried. _

Kou placed his hand on the railing and tightened his grip, his knuckles turning white as he looked out to the lake. "Mother…" he said in a voice thick with sorrow and anger. The tiger brand on his arm flashed with lines of blue energy.

Then the light enveloped him and expanded. "It wasn't her fault…" he said. He looked out into the sea. He saw his mother back away while screaming out his name in pain. Then he remembered his younger, happier years spent with her. She would take him shopping, out for ice cream, walk, laugh. She radiated with warmth.

"Mother…mother!" he shouted as he started to cry, not understanding the overwhelming feelings that were washing over him.

"Kou!" the teens called as they walked onto the scene, dragging Miko's mother against her will.

The mom stepped on Rocky's foot as he screamed. "Mother of…"

The mother dashed away from the pier to gain space from the rangers as her body twisted and transformed into Necklace Kanjo. "So we meet again."

"All right guys…it's morphin time!" Tommy shouted as the rangers armed their morphers. "Chakra ignite…Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

They shouted together. "Power of the Stars brought down…Heaven Star Task Force…Power Rangers!"

The Rangers and the monster rushed at each other while Kou grabbed Miko by the arm and led her away, back towards the industrial park. "Let's go."

The two kids ducked behind a crate when they thought they were far enough away. Kou peeked over the side of the crate to see if any Gorma were following. "That Gorma must have been impersonating your mom," Kou said.

Miko laughed as she stood.

Kou knitted his brow with confusion. "Miko?"

Her body shimmered as her shroud dropped, revealing Akomaru.

Kou shot to his feet as his muscles tightened. "Akomaru…where's Miko?"

"Idiot," Akomaru said. "It was me all along…by the way…you have such soft hands."

Kou glared at Akomaru and lunged forward, slamming a hook punch across the young Gorma's face. Akomaru crashed to the ground. Kou leaned over him and lifted the villain by his shirt while slamming another punch across his face. Kou kept his fists wailing, blood soaking his knuckles as he released his anger.

Ring Kanjo stepped forward as if from nowhere and grabbed Kou by the wrist before the ranger could hit Akomaru again. "I wouldn't do that."

The monster dragged Kou off his feet and slammed the back of her fist across his head, knocking him backward and sending him stumbling across the concrete ground.

"Run, master…" Ring Kanjo said as she stood in front of Akomaru. The young Gorma fled as the monster glared at Kou. "Kou…" she said. "You are a fool. We had you going all along."

Kou clenched his jaw as he readied his wrist morpher and key. "Chakra ignite, Kiba Power!" He inserted the key into his morpher as energy flashed across his body. His muscles matured and bones grew as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Kiba Ranger and Ring Kanjo charged at each other. The White Ranger leapt over the Gorma while kicking her in the back. Kiba Ranger turned and slashed his blade across the villain's back while landing back on the ground. Kiba Ranger followed with a pair of diagonal strikes that sparked across the villain's body.

The White Ranger speared his saber against the Gorma, knocking her backward and sending her stumbling across the ground.

Kiba Ranger turned and sprang through the air, flipping back and landing in front of Akomaru. Akomaru skid to a halt as Kiba Ranger aimed his weapon at the boy. "Those short little legs of yours can't take you away fast enough."

Kiba Ranger rushed towards Akomaru and swung his saber towards the boy's head. Akomaru ducked under the blow, causing the White Ranger to lunge too far forward. Akomaru maneuvered around and grabbed the Ranger in a tight chokehold.

"Akomaru!" the monster shouted as she ran towards them.

"Stop!" Shadam shouted after teleporting to the scene. He extended his hand and launched spheres of blue fiery energy that exploded against Kiba Ranger, Akomaru, and the monster with bursts of spark.

Ring Kanjo rose to her feet and helped Akomaru up as they both took a step backward. "You'll pay, Shadam," Akomaru cursed as he and the Kanjo sister blinked away.

Shadam launched another wave of blue spheres that exploded around Kiba Ranger as he rolled aside. The White Ranger rolled to his feet and sprang forward, leaping through the air and landing on the roof of a warehouse. He snapped into a fighting stance.

Shadam shot a fireball that exploded against the warehouse, tearing it apart with a massive explosion as Kiba Ranger leapt forward, letting the shockwave carry him forward. The White Ranger flipped through the air and landed on the ground below.

Byakko radiated with golden energy as the White Ranger raised the saber. Byakko shouted, speaking for the Ranger. "Heaving Roaring Star, Sound Bite!"

A sonic shockwave ripped forward, tearing through the ground and buildings and blasting against Shadam, knocking the Gorma backward.

"Damn you Kiba Ranger!" Shadam shouted as he blinked out.

* * *

Necklace Kanjo crashed to the ground and rolled backward, rising to her feet as she held a sword in a fighting stance. The Rangers moved forward and armed their ring-shaped weapons.

"Star Blades," Dragon Ranger called. "Star Blade Assault!"

The blades shot forward with streaks of energy that exploded through the monster, tearing her body apart with a ripping barrage of sparks. The Gorma managed to pull an enlarging bomb and slam the grenade against the ground. She absorbed the energy from the explosion and used it to expand and grow giant.

The Rangers unsheathed their Thunder Swords and held their Thunder Gems. They raised their blades towards the sky. "Thunderzords arise!"

The five Thunderzords appeared and charged over the landscape. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits. Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he called out. "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords started to change shape and reconfigure as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold-and-black helmet slid into place.

The Rangers joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

"MegaThunderzord Saber," The Rangers shouted. "Lightning Slash!"

Dairenou's blade energized and chopped through Necklace Kanjo. The villain's broken body fell backward, her energy overloading and exploding as her remains were consumed by flame.

* * *

Kou stood back on the pier, leaning against the railing as he stared out across the water. The rangers gathered around him but said nothing. Rocky placed his arm over the boy's shoulder. Kou broke out into tears and reached around to hug Rocky.

**To be continued…**


	12. White Tiger

**White Tiger**

_A younger Kou hugged his mother by the shore as they laughed, for no reason other than the joy of laughter. They walked back towards their apartment and stopped on the way for ice cream. _

_The image shifted._

_A young Kou, no older than five, sat on the floor of a strange shrine at night. He was crying as his mother held tightly onto his arm. "Let go, momma!" he shouted, unable to understand what was happening. _

_His mother's face was damp with tears. She was pained by her own grief. Pained by what she had to put her son through. She finished heating an iron stamp with the symbol of the tiger. "I'm sorry, Kou…I must do this…" _

_Kou was still crying, trying desperately to take his arm away._

_She burned the tiger clamp onto his arm as he screamed. "Kou!" she shouted, dropping the clamp aside and reaching forward, embracing her son as they both cried._

Kou awoke screaming in his bed. His forehead was damp with cold sweat. Byakko peaked out of Kou's book bag. "What is it Kou?" the saber asked.

He shook his head, a somber look on his face. "Nothing…"

Kou climbed down from the attic and walked out to the balcony on Kimberly's apartment. He leaned against the railing and looked up to the stars. "Mother…" he said softly.

The balcony door slid open again, and Kimberly stepped outside.

"You're up late," she said as she stood next to him.

He nodded.

"Is everything okay?" Kimberly asked.

He shrugged.

Kimberly sighed and placed her hands down on the railing. "How would you like to go on a road trip tomorrow with me?"

Kou's face lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah," she said. "It will be fun."

"Cool!" he said as he hugged her, finding comfort from her in the absence of his mother.

* * *

Akomaru leaned on a balcony in Angel Grove's Chinatown the same night. His fists were clenched, anger storming inside of him.

Ring Kanjo, in her human form, stepped beside Akomaru. She was the only sister left alive.

"Kou will pay…" Akomaru cursed, his eyes staring towards the distance like daggers.

Ring Kanjo nodded in agreement. "They will…" she hissed.

* * *

Kimberly and Kou walked out of the apartment building the next morning and moved towards the curb with shoulder bags packed for the weekend. Kou looked happier than he had in days. "Where are we going first?" he asked.

"You'll see," she said.

Rocky pulled up to the curb in his truck, and the other rangers were with him.

"Ready?" Tommy asked Kimberly as he hopped off the truck.

Rocky leaned out the window and looked back to Tommy and Billy. "Did ya bring the coke?" he asked.

"I thought I did," Billy said. "I was wrong."

"Great," Rocky said.

"It's not like you need any more caffeine," Tommy said.

Kou's shoulders slumped at the sight of the others. "They're coming…I thought…"

"What?" Kimberly asked.

Kou turned and ran, embarrassed that they might see his tears. How could he have been so dumb, he thought, as to think Kimberly wanted to spend the weekend with him alone?

* * *

Kou ran to a nearby amphitheater and sat on the steps while burying his head in his arm. Byakko peeked his head out from Kou's jacket. "Kou what is it?"

"Leave me alone," Kou said in a muffled voice.

Akomaru's whistle sounded from the amphitheater stage. Kou snapped his head up and rose to his feet as he saw Akomaru standing next to Ring Kanjo in her monster form.

Akomaru did not waste time with words. He pointed at Kou, signaling Ring Kanjo to attack. The Gorma sister leapt through the air and arced towards Kou while holding her staff high.

Tommy leapt through the air as if from nowhere as he and the other rangers arrived at the scene. Tommy slammed a flying sidekick against the Gorma that sent her stumbling down the stairs as Tommy landed. He looked back at the boy. "Kou, run."

The monster rose to her feet at the stage and glared up at the rangers while Kou ran for cover. "My sisters' deaths will be avenged!" she shouted up to them.

"I don't think so, drag queen," Rocky said.

"Alright guys," Tommy said as he and the others readied their wrist braces. "It's morphin' time!"

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted as they connected their morphers. Energy shimmered around them as they transformed into their armor.

"Thunder Staffs!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he and the other Rangers armed their red staffs.

Kou hid behind a nearby bush as Byakko peaked his head out. "What are you waiting for, Kou?" Byakko asked.

Kou nodded and rose to his feet as he readied his golden key and morpher. "Chakra transform, Kiba Power!" He insert his key into his morpher. Golden energy flashed across his body and filled his every pore. His body matured as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Kiba Ranger flipped forward, landed in front of the Power Rangers, and snapped into a fighting stance while facing the Gorma monster. "Heaven Roaring Star, Kiba Ranger!"

The White Ranger held his blade back in a fighting stance as he glared at the monster. Byakko spoke for him. "Go back to your master, Gorma, or meet the fate of your sisters!"

"Kiba Ranger…" Ring Kanjo hissed. "I believe you mentioned my sisters." Beams of light extended from the monster and materialized into replicas of the other two Kanjo sisters.

"Let's take care of business, guys," Dragon Ranger said as the six Rangers rushed into battle.

Ring Kanjo mentally ordered the replicas to attack.

Dragon Ranger and Necklace Kanjo clashed staffs. The Red Ranger used the left end of his weapon to knock her staff down while swinging the right end of his weapon around towards her head.

Necklace Kanjo parried the blow and speared her weapon against Dragon Ranger's chest before swinging her staff upward, bashing the Red Ranger upside the head.

Phoenix Ranger moved in towards the right of the monster and swung her staff, but Necklace Kanjo parried the blow and slammed her staff across the Pink Ranger's helmet.

Tenma Ranger, Lion Ranger, and Kirin Ranger charged in a loose fighting formation towards Earring Kanjo. Earring Kanjo armed a double-edged blade and streaked past the Rangers in a blur of motion, slashing her blade across their armor, the double-edged weapon sparking on impact as the Rangers crashed against the ground.

Kiba Ranger flipped down and snapped into a fighting stance as he faced off with Ring Kanjo.

"Call them off!" Byakko shouted.

Ring Kanjo merely extended her hand and fired crackling bursts of crimson energy that exploded around Kiba Ranger with bursts of spark as he rolled aside.

The White Ranger rolled into a crouched position and sprang through the air, swinging his saber down towards the Gorma while landing.

Ring Kanjo slapped the saber away with her staff while spinning and slamming her weapon across the White Ranger's helmet.

A sphere of crackling blue fire suddenly exploded against Ring Kanjo and sent her tumbling across the ground. Akomaru tightened with rage when he saw the attacker - Shadam.

With Ring Kanjo's concentration broken, the replicas of her two sisters vanished.

"What are you doing?!" Akomaru shouted to his father.

The Triumvirate ignored Akomaru. Shadam glared at Dragon Ranger. "Dragon Ranger…you're coming with us…"

"I don't think so," Dragon Ranger said as he twirled his staff into a fighting stance.

The three Gorma extended their hands and fired crackling tendrils of golden energy. The energy tendrils wrapped around Dragon Ranger and lifted him from his feet, dropping his staff against the ground.

The Red Ranger tried to break free from the energy strands, but he could not. He flashed with golden energy and vanished as the Gorma teleported him away.

"Tommy!" Phoenix Ranger shouted as she and the others called for him.

"Now, Rangers," Shadam said as he stared down at them. "Don't get too comfortable. With the sacrifice of your leader...we will awaken the sixth Kidenjuu."

"What?" Tenma Ranger shouted.

The Triumvirate blinked away as they stepped backward.

* * *

The other four rangers returned to the lair to speak with Kaku. Rocky took a step towards the sensei. "Sensei," Rocky said. "They have Tommy."

"We have to get him back," Adam said as he punched his hands together.

"And what is this about a sixth Thunderzord?" Billy asked.

"Won Tiger," Kaku explained. "If the Gorma manage to sacrifice Tommy, his energy would be enough to awaken the sixth Kidenjuu."

"No…" Kimberly said. "We won't let that happen."

"Let's go," Rocky said as they ran off.

* * *

Shadam held Akomaru up by the boy's collar. The Gorma could barely keep himself from choking his son to death as Akomaru struggled.

The boy clawed at his father's arms. "Damn you, Shadam!"

"You will learn respect." Shadam backhanded Akomaru across the face. The boy toppled over and crashed to the ground.

"You've interrupted my every plan," Akomaru said as he slowly rose to his feet. "But not this time. I know who the Kiba Ranger is."

Akomaru laughed as he ran away.

* * *

Kimberly was on the street near her apartment as Kou ran towards her. The boy had his skateboard tucked beneath his right arm. "Did you find him?" Kou asked. "What happened to Tommy?"

A public phone rang nearby and startled Kimberly. She hesitated before answering. Akomaru spoke from the other end of the line. "Hello, Phoenix Ranger…"

"Akomaru…" Kimberly said.

"What?!" Kou said as he grabbed the phone.

"Kiba Ranger," Akomaru said over the phone. "I'll tell you where Dragon Ranger is."

"Why?" Kou asked.

Akomaru hesitated. "My hatred for Shadam runs deeper than my hatred for you."

Kou nodded as he was given directions. Then he ran off.

"Kou!" Kimberly shouted as she ran after him.

* * *

Tommy was in the mountains outside the city. The teen was tied down with his arms and legs stretched over a demonic symbol etched in the ground. The Gorma Triumvirate stood over him. They were pleased with their prize.

"I can't believe this is the one who single-handedly killed DaiSatan," Gara said.

"He's as weak as his father," Shadam said.

"Untie me. Then we'll see who's weak," Tommy said.

The Gorma heard footsteps close in from the distance. They looked to see Kou and Kimberly run to the scene. "Gorma!" Kou shouted.

Shadam clenched his jaw when he saw them approach. "How…" he started to say. The sound of Akomaru's whistle cut him off. Shadam looked up to a nearby cliff and glared at his son.

"I brought them here," Akomaru said.

"Kyonshi!" Shadam shouted with furry.

Black-clad grunts dropped to the ground and charged forward towards Kimberly and Kou. The soldiers pounced forward to attack.

Kimberly knocked a soldier's blade away and slammed a knife-hand chop against the grunt's neck. She slammed an outer crescent kick across a second soldier's head, knocking the grunt to the ground. She looked back towards Kou. "Run Kou."

Kou nodded and ran for cover.

The other teens arrived at the scene and helped Kimberly fight against the Kyonshi. The four rangers were a flurry of kicks and punches and they pushed past the soldiers and closer towards their captured leader.

Kou kneeled behind a stone as he looked out to the battle and Tommy. "Dragon Ranger needs me."

"Morph, Kou," Byakko said.

Kou pulled out his key and readied his morpher. "Chakra ignite, Kiba Power!" He inserted his key into his morpher. Energy flashed around him as his body matured and he morphed into his Ranger form.

Meanwhile, the rangers knocked past the last of the soldiers.

Adam got a better view of Tommy tied down to the symbol. "Tommy…" he said as he readied his morphers. "It's morphin time!"

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" the four teens shouted as they connected their morphers. Energy shimmered around them as they transformed into their armor and snapped into fighting stances.

"Lion Ranger! Heaven Illusion Star, Green!"

"Tenma Ranger! Heaven Gravity Star, Blue!"

"Kirin Ranger! Heaven Time Star, Yellow!"

"Phoenix Ranger! Heaven Wind Star, Pink!"

"Power of the stars…" they trailed off, hesitating as they lowered their hands and looked to Tommy.

"Rangers!" Byakko shouted as the White Ranger somersaulted forward through the air and landed in front of the team.

Kiba Ranger snapped into a fighting stance as Byakko shouted. "Heaving Roaring Star, Kiba Ranger!"

The White Ranger extended his blade. "Let's go!" Byakko shouted as the Rangers rushed forward to attack.

"Thunder Swords!" Tenma Ranger and Kirin Ranger shouted as they unsheathed their swords and leapt through the air towards Shadam.

They swung their blades downward. Shadam grabbed both blades and twisted the swords downward. The villain opened his jaw and spat blue fiery spheres at near point-blank range that exploded against the Rangers' armor with bursts of spark that knocked them backward.

Nearby, Kiba Ranger leapt forward through the air and swung his tiger saber down towards Zydos.

Zydos knocked the blade aside and grabbed the White Ranger in a tight chokehold. Kiba Ranger lifted his hand and twisted the Gorma's nose. Zydos winced in pain and lifted the Ranger above his head before tossing him aside like a pile of rags. The White Ranger slammed against the ground and tumbled backward.

Meanwhile Lion Ranger and Phoenix Ranger rolled forward towards Gara and rose into crouched positions while arming their Thunder Staffs. The Green and Pink Rangers sprang forward to attack.

Gara extended her hand and used her power to summon a wall of moving energy blades. The blades slashed across the Rangers' armor, exploding on impact and knocking them backward.

"No!" Tommy shouted from the ground as he tried to break free from his bindings.

The ground suddenly started to shake. The Rangers and Gorma stumbled, trying to keep their balance as rocks and boulders shook free from above and crashed to the ground below. The tremors intensified as cracks formed across the ground. Flames rose from the cracks.

* * *

Kaku sat in a meditative pose within the lair. His eyes were closed, and sweat dripped down his brow. He could feel the energy from the tremors in the far-off distance. "Won Tiger…" Kaku whispered.

* * *

The tremors slowly stopped as the Gorma regrouped.

Shadam whispered an incantation beneath his breath as he extended his hand. A massive torrent of rolling flame burst forth and exploded against the five Rangers, sending them flying backward as flame and spark ripped across their armor.

The Rangers crashed against the ground and slowly rolled into crouched defensive positions.

Zydos extended his hand and summoned lightning from the air. Lightning struck his fingertips and he whipped the bolt around, slashing it across the five Rangers' armor, sparking and exploding on impact.

Gara whispered an incantation and summoned gale-force winds that slammed against the Rangers and knocked them back.

"No!" Tommy shouted again, trying desperately to break free so he could help his friends. "Guys!"

The Rangers slowly regrouped.

"We have to get Tommy," Kirin Ranger said.

But the Gorma still blocked their path.

"It's finally over, Rangers," Gara said as she and the other Gorma stalked towards the Rangers. "We win."

"Kiba Ranger," Zydos growled. "Allow me to finish you off!"

Zydos ran forward to attack. But Akomaru blew his whistle, firing a small needle that exploded against the Gorma's neck. Zydos collapsed as the needle seeped poison through his veins.

"Akomaru," Zydos grumbled. "You fool."

"The Kiba Ranger is mine," Akomaru said simply.

The White Ranger rose to his knees and extended his hand. "Kiryoku!" Byakko shouted. Kiba Ranger fired an invisible telekinetic blast that roared forward and blasted against the three Gorma, knocking them backward and out of the way.

The Rangers ran to Tommy.

Lion Ranger and Tenma Ranger used their Star Cutters to slash his bindings free as Tenma Ranger and Phoenix Ranger helped him to his feet.

Tommy glared at the three Gorma as they regrouped. "Alright…it's time to take care of business." He readied his morphers. "Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

"Let's do it!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he and the others started to charge forward.

The ground shook violently again. The Rangers and Gorma stumbled and nearly lost their balance as the quake intensified.

"Won Tiger…" Kiba Ranger said quietly as he recognized the significance of the tremors. He ran from the scene.

* * *

Energy swirled around Kaku within the lair. He kept his eyes closed and struggled to keep his concentration. "So close…"

* * *

The ground stopped again.

Shadam and the Gorma charged forward to attack.

"Sorry to cut this short," Dragon Ranger said as he unsheathed his sword. "But we've got a zord to find."

The five Rangers raised their Thunder Swords into the air while grasping their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!" they shouted as their zords appeared from the skies.

"Let's go," Dragon Ranger said. They leapt onto their zords and left the area.

* * *

The stone column slowly rose to bring Akomaru up to the same level as the Gorma Emperor within the palace. The frustrated boy was trying to rip his wooden mask off.

"Get it off!" he shouted. He finally ripped the mask off as the pillar moved closer to the white-robed emperor. "Emperor, Shadam has ruined all my plans! He messes up everything!"

The emperor stared silently at Akomaru and did not say a word. Then he started pelting the boy with small wooden pogs. "Fool, fool, fool! You dare to look at me with your face?" Akomaru screamed with annoyance as he put the wooden mask back on. "You should learn some respect."

"He ruined everything!" Akomaru shouted. "Because of Shadam, the Rangers are going to find the sixth Kidenjuu!"

The emperor laughed. "Patience…" he said as he slowly moved wooden pogs into different positions on some type of game board. "Everything will move in accordance with the Wheel of Fate. The Wheel turns, and Fate weaves its pattern…"

"Fate?"

The emperor's insane laughter echoed throughout the palace..

* * *

"All right guys," a young Chinese man named Kameo said as he pulled two turtles from his pocket. "There ya go."

Kameo placed the turtles into a small pond surrounded by tall grass. They were in the wilderness outside the city near mountains and hills.

The ground suddenly started to shake as streaks of light shot down from the skies, catching Kameo's attention. Kameo moved to the top of a hill and looked down to a dirt and gravel-filled valley below. The five teens and Kaku were standing there.

Kaku nodded to the teens. The rangers raised their Thunder Gems. "Chakra ignite." Light shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

Kameo dropped his jaw and fell backward at the sight.

"Hey," Kou said as he sprang from the bushes. "Who are you?"

"Kameo," he said as he pointed down towards the Rangers. "Did you see that?!"

Byakko peeked his head out from Kou's jacket. "It's none of your business."

Kameo screamed and ran. Kou and Byakko chuckled as they watched him flee.

"Kou," Byakko said. "The Rangers are trying to summon the sixth Kidenjuu."

"How?" Kou asked.

"It's…complicated," Byakko said. "I guess another way of putting it is that they're about to give birth to the sixth Kidenjuu. It's never walked this Earth."

"Birth?" Kou asked.

Below, the six Rangers and Kaku sat in meditative poses. Kaku instructed his young charges. "Summon the power of your Kidenjuu," Kaku said as the skies turned black.

The ground started to shake, and the wind began to howl as crimson lightning streaked down from the clouds. The five Thunderzords appeared in the distance. Each zord radiated with energy.

Kaku and the Rangers slowly started to hover above the ground. The Thunder Gems flashed with light and shot up towards the skies.

* * *

Akomaru slowly walked through an abandoned warehouse. He opened the door to a back chamber and moved into a dimly-lit room. A woman bound in chains was inside the room. The woman was Kou's mother.

"It's almost time," he said to her. "The Kiba Ranger will be one of us soon, and there's nothing you can do about."

* * *

The Thunderzords flew through the air and emitted crackling bolts of crimson energy that tore apart the ground, and streaks of flame erupted from the earth. Fire started to rage around the Rangers as they struggled to maintain their concentration.

Sweat dripped down their brows beneath their helmets as they closed their eyes tightly. The flames intensified.

Then with one final explosion, the White Tiger Thunderzord was born. The fire and skies cleared. A white-armored tiger roared in the distance and slowly rose onto its four feet.

The Rangers stood and looked at the White Tiger.

"It's sweet!" Tenma Ranger said.

"Yeah," Dragon Ranger said.

Kaku nodded. "It is your sixth Thunderzord, the White Tiger."

Kou looked to Byakko while on the nearby hill. The boy's eyes were open wide with excitement. "Is that it?" Byakko said yes, and a large smile spread on Kou's face.

White Tiger rose and ran forward, its four legs pumping with newfound power and strength. The zord suddenly stumbled and slid onto its back.

Kou raised an eyebrow and looked to Byakko. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's a newborn," Byakko explained. "Now…the White Tiger needs a pilot."

Kou nodded and armed his morpher. "Chakra ignite, Kiba Power!" He inserted his key into his wrist brace as energy shimmered around him. His body matured as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Kiba Ranger somersaulted forward through the air and landed on top of a taller hill. A streak of white light shot from the skies and landed in the White Ranger's hand before pulsing and flashing with power.

"What the…?" Kiba Ranger said as he looked at the small crystal in his hand.

"That's your Heaven Star Thunder Gem," Byakko explained. "Now let's go!"

Kiba Ranger somersaulted forward through the air and landed on top of the White Tiger. The White Ranger looked down to the others as Byakko spoke. "Power Rangers!" Byakko shouted. "Won Tiger now belongs to the Kiba Ranger!"

"Hey!" Tenma Ranger shouted. "We didn't go through all that for you to swipe our zord!"

"What does he think he's doing?" Lion Ranger asked.

"They do seem like a good match," Kirin Ranger said. The others stared at him.

Kaku's eyes were fixed on the White Ranger and his zord. "Kou…" he said silently.

Kiba Ranger held his saber forward as the zord ran further into the mountains. A giant-sized Ring Kanjo approached from the distance. Kiba Ranger smiled beneath his helmet. "Let's get into action, Won Tiger."

Ring Kanjo extended her staff and fired bolts of crimson energy that exploded around the new zord.

Kiba Ranger dropped into the cockpit embedded in the zord's armor.

"White Tiger!" Kiba Ranger shouted. "Vibro Blast!"

The zord blurred with sonic energy that shot forward, tearing through the mountains and exploding against Ring Kanjo.

"White Tiger, rise up!" Kiba Ranger shouted as he inserted his tiger saber into the control console in front of him.

The White Tiger crackled with energy and started to change shape. The zord transformed into a humanoid-shaped warrior, the head of the tiger was on the zord's chest, and the golden tail formed a curved blade.

"Tiger Punch!" Kiba Ranger shouted as the zord copied his movements. White Tiger crashed a punch against the giant Gorma.

"Tiger Kick!" White Tiger slammed a kick against the Gorma's midsection. The blow sent her crashing against the ground and rolling backward.

"Finish her Kou!" Byakko yelled.

Kiba Ranger nodded. He took a crystal from the wall behind him and inserted it into his forward control panel. "White Tiger Fire Bolt!"

The tiger mouth on the zord flashed with energy and shot bolts of fiery power that exploded against Ring Kanjo, sparks ripping across her body upon impact. Ring Kanjo crashed to the ground again.

"That'll teach you!" Kiba Ranger shouted.

"I'm not through yet, you little whelp," Ring Kanjo said as she slowly rose to her feet. She extended her arms and projected replicas of her two sisters.

The three Gorma charged forward. Necklace Kanjo and Earring Kanjo spun past the White Tiger while slashing their blades across the zord's armor. Ring Kanjo swung her staff down towards the zord's head.

White Tiger used the golden saber to block the blow and twist the staff downward. But the other two Kanjo sisters extended their hands and fired crimson energy bolts that exploded against the zord, sparks tearing against armor as White Tiger crashed to the ground, reverting back to its tiger form as Kiba Ranger was thrown from the cockpit.

Kiba Ranger rolled across the dirt near a small area of trees as energy shimmered around him, and he demorphed.

"That didn't go very well, did it," Byakko said.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Kou said.

Kou rose to his feet as he heard the familiar sound of Akomaru's whistle nearby. He turned to see Kyonshi pulling two chariots through the wilderness. Akomaru sat in the lead chariot. The second chariot was covered in a black cloth.

Kou's muscles tightened. "Akomaru…"

Akomaru stepped from the chariot. "I have a present for you," he said to Kou as he stepped back to the second chariot. He pulled the black cloth away. Kou's mother was inside, bound and gagged. "Perhaps you know her."

Kou's eyes opened wide as his breath caught in his throat. "Mother…" he whispered. "Mother!"

"Kou!" she called in a muffled voice.

Kou ran towards the chariot.

"Back!" Akomaru extended his hand and fired an invisible Kiryoku burst that slammed against Kou and knocked the boy backward. Kou crashed onto his tailbone.

Akomaru stalked towards the fallen boy. "I'll give her back to you if you join me. The two of us can kill Shadam and the emperor…then we will rule."

"Go to hell!" Kou shouted as he sprang forward and pushed Akomaru aside.

Kou moved towards the chariot and grabbed it, quickly turning it around and running towards the distance. Kyonshi leapt towards Kou and grabbed him, lifting him off his feet and tossing him back onto the ground.

"Be that way," Akomaru said. He extended his hand towards the chariot. An invisible strand of energy lifted Kou's mother and dragged her away through the air.

"No!" Kou shouted as he ran after her. "Mother!"

Kou made it to a clearing near the mountains, but he was too late. His mother was gone. Kou turned and clenched his jaw when he heard Akomaru's laughter come from behind. "Bring her back!"

Akomaru smirked.

Kou pounced forward and grabbed Akomaru by the collar. "Bring her back!" Kou slammed a hook punch across the Gorma's face.

* * *

The White Tiger rose to its four legs and charged forward towards the three Kanjo sisters. The Red Dragon warrior leapt down from the Thunder Chariot and landed on the White Tiger's back to ride the zord.

Red Dragon extended its staff like a spear as the zords charged forward to attack. The staff speared against each Gorma like a lance, knocking them backward and sending them crashing to the ground.

* * *

Kou unloaded all his anger with every punch that slammed across Akomaru's face. First the Gorma had pretended to be Miko, then they kidnapped Tommy, then his mother…his mother! Kou was tired of games.

Kou swung harder, his own knuckles bleeding and broken.

The battle above shook the ground, and massive boulders started falling towards the two fighting boys. Kou and Akomaru leapt out of the way, but Akomaru did not make it in time. Akomaru screamed as a boulder crushed against the lower half of his body, pinning his back to the ground.

"Akomaru!" Kou yelled as he ran towards the Gorma's side and leaned down next to him. "Where is she?"

"Kou…" Akomaru said, his voice struggling for air.

"My mother," Kou said. He frantically tried to move the boulder, but it was too heavy. "Where is she?"

"You idiot," Akomaru said. His voice was weak and broken. "Why do you care...she abandoned you…just as my mother abandoned me."

"No…" Kou whispered. "She-" His own feelings nearly choked him, cutting off his sentence as his eyes started to water.

"Admit it," Akomaru said. "We're more the same than you'll admit, Kiba Ranger."

"No…" Kou said, his emotions knotting his stomach.

"Yes…more than you know," Akomaru rolled his eyes back and died.

"Akomaru!" Kou shouted, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Kou buried his head in his arm and cried. His mother. Akomaru. Abandonment. Kou was alone.

"Kou," Byakko said. "The Rangers need your help."

Kou wiped his tears and slowly rose to his feet while arming his wrist brace and key. "Chakra! Ignite! Kiba! Power!" He inserted his key into his morpher. Golden energy shimmered around him as his body matured and he morphed into his Ranger form.

Kiba Ranger lifted his saber into the air. "White Tiger!"

The white-armored zord roared and rose to its hind legs, knocking the Red Dragon from its back. The White Tiger dashed forward. Kiba Ranger somersaulted through the air and entered his zord's cockpit.

"White Tiger! Rise up!" he shouted, inserting his saber into his console. The White Tiger crackled with energy and started to change shape. The zord transformed into a humanoid-shaped warrior. The head of the tiger was on the zord's chest, and the golden tail formed a curved blade.

"Kou," Byakko said. "Your zord can combine with the four other Kidenjuu to create the MegaTigerzord, Kiba Daiou!"

The White Ranger thrust his hands forward. "Kiba Fusion!"

The Lion, Tenma, Kirin, and Phoenix crackled with energy and shot towards the White Tiger. The lion formed shoulder armor while wrapping around the zord's back. The Tenma and Kirin formed the Megazord's legs as the Phoenix became an arm-mounted weapon.

Lion Ranger, Phoenix Ranger, Tenma Ranger, and Kirin Ranger joined Kiba Ranger in the zord's cockpit. "MegaTigerzord… Kiba Daiou!"

The three Gorma sisters fired crimson energy bursts that exploded against the MegaTigerzord. MegaTigerzord walked through the explosions while sparks tore across its armor.

"MegaTigerzord!" the Rangers shouted. "Grand-Phoenix Crash!"

The Phoenix extended its wings and shot towards the three monsters. Fiery energy twisted around the Phoenix at it streaked through the monsters, piercing through each of them. Explosions tore apart the three Gorma as they collapsed to the ground, their own energy overloading and exploding.

* * *

Kou sat quietly on the pier. He thought of his mother as tears streamed down his cheeks.

**To be continued…**


	13. The Heat of Passion

**The Heat of Passion**

Adam sat on a cliff looking out towards Eagle Lake. He had tried to meditate but could not focus. His mind kept drifting towards Kujaku, the exotic warrior who's mere presence had captivated him.

Adam held one of her feathers in hand. "Kujaku…where are you?"

* * *

Kujaku stood on a skyscraper rooftop in the city. Her eyes were closed as she reached out with her power and tried to sense the Gorma. One of her armored feathers suddenly fell to the ground and turned gray.

Kujaku leaned down and picked up the feather while running her fingers along its edges. "It's happening sooner than I expected…" she shook her head. "It's too soon. I can't die until the Gorma are defeated."

* * *

Gara snapped her eyes open while on the other side of the city. She sensed her nemesis. "Kujaku…"

* * *

A Gorma monster rode on horseback through Greenwood Park in Angel Grove Central. The villain appeared to have an old furnace in his gut. The rest of his body was covered in red robes with blue and white trimming. A white veil covered a face that looked like living fire.

The Gorma used its hand to pull back the veil and spit a massive torrent of flame. The flame blast spread through the park and ignited trees and grass along its wake. People screamed and ran in panic as smoke clouded the air around them.

* * *

"Kagero Zukin. He was known as the fire demon," Kaku said as he paced back and forth in front of the teens in the lair. "If he's not stopped, he'll turn everything into ashes. You know what to do."

* * *

Kagero Zukin, meaning Heatwave Hood, rode into the wilderness outside the city. Before he could ignite the brush, the five rangers leapt to the scene. Tommy slammed a flying sidekick against the Gorma, knocking the creature from its horse.

The Gorma tumbled across the ground before slowly rising to its feet. The fire Gorma armed a jagged sword. "You will burn beneath my blade."

"I've heard that line one too many times!" Tommy shouted as he and the others snapped into fighting stances.

"Fire Blade!" the monster shouted. He extended his sword and launched a pulse of fiery energy.

The rangers rolled away from the pulse as it exploded against the ground. The teens rolled back onto their feet.

"That's the one hit you're going to get," Rocky said as he and the others armed their morphers.

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted. They connected their morphers as energy shimmered around them. The energy shells shattered as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

The Rangers energized and leapt towards the creature in streaks of light.

Phoenix Ranger jumped forward and extended her hand. "Cyclone!" she shouted, summoning a pink energy cyclone that whirled around the Gorma, exploding against the creature and knocking him backward.

"Star Blades!" Tenma Ranger shouted as he leapt forward to attack while holding a ring-shaped blade in each hand.

The fire Gorma extended his hand and shot a fire sphere that exploded against the Blue Ranger's chest with a burst of spark that knocked the Ranger from the air. Tenma Ranger crashed to the ground and rolled backward into a crouched position. "That was uncalled for."

The Rangers regrouped as Tenma Ranger rose to his feet.

Gara stepped onto a hill nearby and extended her hand. A violet energy blast streaked from her palm and exploded against the Rangers' armor.

"Gara!" Tenma Ranger shouted. He placed his palm against his fist as the Pegasus eyes on his helmet flashed with blue light. "Heaven Gravity Star! Gravity Inversing Destruction!"

The Blue Ranger fired a jagged-blue energy blast that wrapped around Gara. Tenma Ranger used his power to lift her into the air. He lowered his arm to bash Gara against the ground, then lifted her back up.

The Blue Ranger armed his Thunder Sword. He was going to leap through the air and cut her down but never had the chance.

An unseen force exploded around the Rangers with bursts of sparks, knocking them backward.

Tenma Ranger lost his concentration, and Gara collapsed to the ground. Heatwave Hood ran to his master's side and helped her to her feet. "Gara…"

The Rangers regrouped and looked up to face their attacker. It was Kujaku standing on a small hill of dirt.

"Kujaku!" Lion Ranger shouted up to her.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Tenma Ranger shouted.

"The Gorma are mine to defeat," Kujaku said. "They stole my life from me…and now…I will end theirs. Not even you can get in my way."

"Why you.." Tenma Ranger stared to run towards Kujaku, but Lion Ranger held him back.

"Don't, Rocky," Lion Ranger said as he held the Blue Ranger back by the shoulder.

"Let me go, Adam!" Tenma Ranger shouted.

Kujaku armed her daggers and glared past the Rangers towards Gara. "Now Gara…where did we leave off?"

Gara looked to the fire Gorma. "Do it."

"Fire Blade!" the monster said as he slammed his sword into the ground. The earth began to shake as pillars of flame surrounded the Rangers. The Gorma and Kujaku were gone when the flames cleared.

* * *

"I can't believe they got away," Tommy said as he paced back and forth in the lair. "We had them that time."

"It's all the peacock wench's fault," Rocky said as he kicked a wall. "Feathers for brains."

"Rocky," Adam said as he walked over to teammate. "Guys…we have to understand…Kujaku was locked up for thousands of years. She doesn't need us to turn against her."

"It would seem she turned against us," Billy said.

Rocky nodded. "If she really wanted to stop the Gorma, she'd be working with us. Not out on some kind of personal vendetta."

Rocky and the other rangers walked off, leaving Adam alone with Kaku. Adam sighed and hung his head low.

"Adam," Kaku said. "I believe that if there still is kindness in her heart, you will be able to get through to her. You two have a bond I cannot deny."

Adam nodded. "Thanks Sensei…"

* * *

Kujaku and Gara circled around each other in a grassy field. Gara held her fencing saber forward while Kujaku clutched onto her twin daggers.

"Gara," Kujaku said. "I will end your evil here and now."

"You made me this way," Gara said.

Kujaku knitted her brow.

"Don't you remember?" Gara ran her finger along the scar on her face. The villain extended her hand and fired a violet energy pulse from her palm that streaked towards Kujaku.

Kujaku flipped backward as the blast exploded on the ground in front of her.

Gara tele-skipped forward. Kujaku swung her daggers to hack through the villain, but Gara disappeared and reappeared behind Kujaku. Kujaku turned while swinging her blades again, but Gara disappeared and reappeared. Kujaku turned, and her daggers clashed against Gara's saber.

Kujaku used one dagger to slap the saber away and swung her other dagger towards Gara's throat. Gara twisted her sword around to block the blow and slammed a round kick against Kujaku's side.

Kujaku rolled across the ground and rose to her knees. Gara extended her hand and fired an energy lasso that wrapped around the warrior. Gara sent an energy surge through the lasso that exploded against Kujaku with a shower of sparks that knocked her backward.

Kujaku slowly climbed back to her feet as the fire Gorma appeared behind her.

"Fire Blade!" The Gorma monster extended his sword into the ground. The blade ignited pillars of flame that surrounded Kujaku and knocked her backward.

Gara watched in amazement as one of Kujaku's feathers fell and turned gray. "So Kujaku…your time is coming to an end."

Suddenly, Lion Ranger jumped through the air and slammed a flying sidekick against Gara. The Green Ranger landed and ran to Kujaku's side. He helped the warrior to her feet.

"Adam…"

"Kujaku…are you alright?"

Heatwave Hood opened the furnace in his stomach. The furnace emitted an energy vortex that sucked Lion Ranger and Kujaku inside.

* * *

Adam and Kujaku awoke in a pocket dimension of fire and brimstone within the Gorma monster. Sweat dripped from their brows as the intense heat burned around them.

Adam slowly moved to Kujaku and helped her up. "Kujaku…you're going to be okay. Now let's find a way out of here."

Kujaku shook her head. "It's pointless. Even if I'm freed, I'm dying anyway."

Adam shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder. "No…don't talk like that."

"There's nothing you can do," she said. "I'm over 6,000 years old and not as strong in The Power as Kaku. Time is catching up with me."

Adam breathed heavily. "Still…even if that's true…we can't give up…not without a fight…"

She shook her head. "It's fate."

Adam got frustrated and punched the ground.

Kujaku placed her hand around Adam's fist. "Adam…let nature take its course…"

He shook his head. "I don't believe in fate. We have the power to shape our own destinies. I'm not going to just sit here and let the Gorma beat us."

Adam rose to his feet and moved towards the wall. He narrowed his eyes. "Heaven Illusion Star, Green!" He started slamming punches against the walls in a slow rhythm. Each punch scraped his knuckles, but he kept pounding, battering away the wall bit by bit.

* * *

The other four rangers regrouped in the lair. Kaku was sitting in a meditative pose with his eyes closed.

"We can't find Adam anywhere," Billy said.

"Damn," Rocky said as he struck the wall. "He probably ran out with bird lady."

"No," Kaku said as he snapped his eyes open. "They are both being held by the fire demon."

* * *

Gara walked up besides the fire Gorma. She smiled at the monster with approval. "Well done."

"Yes…" the fire Gorma said. "They're all locked up nice and tight."

Gara unsheathed her sword. She could not risk Adam and Kujaku escaping. They had to be killed while inside the Gorma. Gara prepared to strike the monster down.

Suddenly Dragon Ranger leapt through the air and extended his hand. "Fire Stream!" He fired a stream of flame that exploded against the two villains and knocked them backward.

Dragon Ranger landed and regrouped with the other three Rangers as Gara and the fire Gorma rose back to their feet.

The Rangers charged forward to attack. The fire Gorma returned the charge and swung his sword towards the Pink Ranger's head. Phoenix Ranger ducked and rolled underneath the blow.

Dragon Ranger leapt downward while swinging his Thunder Staff towards the villain's head. The monster parried the blow. Dragon Ranger landed and spun around, swinging his staff towards the monster's legs, but the Gorma jumped over the staff.

The fire Gorma swung his sword horizontally towards Dragon Ranger's head. Dragon Ranger held his staff vertically to block the blow and twisted his wrists to move the sword down. Dragon Ranger knocked the sword away and swung the end of his staff towards the Gorma's head.

Heatwave Hood caught the staff in his right hand and used his left hand to swing his sword forward and slash across Dragon Ranger's chest, the sword sparking on impact. The Gorma swung his sword back towards the Ranger's head.

The Red Ranger used his staff to block the blow and spun forward with a reverse sidekick against the villain's chest.

Tenma Ranger and Kirin Ranger used their staffs to pole vault forward and slam kicks against the fire Gorma. Phoenix Ranger armed her spear and crashed the tip of the weapon against the Gorma, knocking him backward.

The four Rangers regrouped as the fire Gorma limped over to Gara.

"Show them," Gara said to the fire Gorma.

The fire Gorma emitted a projection of flame. Through the flame projection, the Rangers saw Adam and Kujaku inside the pocket dimension. Adam was still punching the wall as Kujaku sat nearby.

"If you kill him," Gara said. "Kujaku and Lion Ranger will die as well."

The Rangers shifted stances. What were they supposed to do?

"Fire blade!" the fire Gorma shouted. He extended his sword and launched a massive pulse of flame that exploded against the Rangers' armor with a massive burst of spark, knocking them backward.

* * *

The pocket dimension started to grow unstable and knocked Adam onto the ground. The dimension was going to collapse, crushing its prisoners, Adam understood. He had to break free.

"Kujaku, come on," Adam practically shouted to her. "My friends are out there!"

Kujaku said nothing. Her gaze was fixed to the ground.

"What happened to you…" Adam said more than asked.

Adam rose and turned back towards the wall. He started punching, each punch causing a small crack or knocking off small pieces of stone dust.

"Adam…" Kujaku whispered when she saw the fierce determination in his eyes. Determination born not from the fires of revenge, but from the need to protect his friends.

* * *

Pillars of fire exploded from the ground and slammed against the Rangers with a shower of sparks and flame. The team crashed against the ground as their armor demorphed.

The fire Gorma charged forward to finish off the defenseless teens.

* * *

Spatters of blood lined the wall where Adam continued to punch. He ignored the pain and poured all his strength out with every strike. Finally he managed to knock a large chunk out from the wall, and red light bled through.

* * *

The fire Gorma stopped in his tracks and gasped in pain as he placed his hand over the urn in his gut. The rangers slowly rose to their feet and realized what was happening.

"Adam…" Tommy said.

Billy nodded. "He must be attacking the monster from the inside."

* * *

Adam collapsed with fatigue. The heat was making it too hard to breath. He felt dehydrated. He could not will his aching muscles to move.

Kujaku moved over to him and placed her hand across the side of his face. "Adam…" she whispered. "Feel my strength…" Kujaku closed her eyes and summoned her power. Rainbow-tinted energy flowed from her body and into Adam's.

She slowly ran her finger across his cheek. Adam reached up and placed his hand over hers as her energy flowed over him in an intimate way. He tilted his head and kissed her palm.

Energy surged through Adam as he slowly rose to his feet and turned back towards the wall. He launched a flurry of punches that bashed away at the opening he had already created. Each blow demolished part of the wall upon impact.

* * *

Explosions sparked across the urn, nearly knocking the Gorma from his feet.

"They're escaping!" Gara said as she leapt through the air with her sword. She landed while spearing the weapon through the urn, causing a massive explosion that tore half the Gorma's body apart.

But she was too late. Two streaks of energy escaped from the monster at the last second and materialized on the ground. It was Adam and Kujaku.

"Adam!" the teens regrouped around their friend and helped him and Kujaku up to their feet.

The fire Gorma pulled an enlarging bomb and tossed the sphere to the ground. The bomb exploded with a massive burst of fiery energy. The monster absorbed the explosion's energy and used it to grow giant.

"Guys…" Tommy said as he and the others armed their wrist braces. "It's morphin time!"

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" They connected their braces as energy shimmered around them and they morphed into their Ranger armor.

The Rangers unsheathed their Thunder Swords and readied their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords arise!"

The five Thunderzords appeared. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he called out. "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords started to change shape and reconfigure as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold and black helmet slid into place.

The Rangers joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

"MegaThunderzord," Lion Ranger called. "Mist-concealment attack!"

The zord fired a cloud of mist that surrounded the monster. The zord projected an illusion of a rushing train that charged through the Gorma with a massive explosion.

"MegaThunderzord Saber," the Rangers shouted. "Lightning Slash!"

Dairenou's blade energized and chopped through the fire Gorma. The villain's broken body fell backward, his energy overloading and exploding as his remains were consumed by flame.

* * *

The teens regrouped with Kujaku on a grassy field below. Adam took a step forward towards her. She smiled up at him.

"Thank you Adam," she said. "You've made me care again…"

The others blushed for Adam, and Rocky slugged him in the shoulder playfully.

Kujaku flashed with energy and turned towards the skies. She flew off towards the distance with a streak of light.

"Kujaku…" Adam whispered.

"Adam," Rocky said as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Something tells me you'll see her again."

**To be continued…**


	14. Less Than Serious

**Less than Serious**

_**From the journal of Tommy Oliver**_

_**Reefside, VA 2013**_

_A particular battle came to mind when Conner, Ethan, and Kira asked me about the weirdest fight I was in during my days as a Ranger. I hadn't thought about the incident in quite some time. Parts of it were actually fun…and crazy. Crazy most of all._

_It was about eleven years ago back in Angel Grove, when I was still getting used to being a leader. We fought against the Gorma at the time, and each villain was blood thirsty and evil to the bone._

_Each villain except for a certain three. Rocky could never remember their names, but he repeatedly called them the Three-Stupid Gorma. _

_We first met the trio when they tried to defeat us by using soccer. Needless to say, Conner got a kick out of this part of the story. They set up a soccer game with electric fields, so every time they scored, the goals sent a bolt of electricity that exploded against our armor. _

_It wasn't long before we met the dumb trio again, and learned just how far their insane obsession with sports went._

* * *

_**Angel Grove, the present**_

Rocky jogged near the railroad tracks, where a row of boxcars sat empty. He wiped sweat from his brow and kept moving, despite the nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Something was not right. He could feel it in the air.

As if on cue, a civilian stumbled out from between the boxcars and ran for his life, screaming at the top of his lungs.

Rocky dashed forward to investigate. He hopped between two boxcars and landed to face three Gorma he thought were dead: Hakaishi Shacho, Denwa Sensei, and Kamikaze Taisho- the San Baka Gorma

Kamikaze was the leader, dressed in armor with a motorcycle motif. He wore a white bandana on his head. Hakaishi Shacho resembled just that, a broken tombstone with a single eye. Denwa Sensei was the baby girl of the group, dressed in armor with a telephone motif.

"You three," Rocky said, not bothering to snap into a fighting stance. "You're still alive?"

The Three Gorma Stooges were leaning against another boxcar, their shoulders slumped down low. Denwa started crying, sobbing into her hands.

Rocky raised an eyebrow.

"Do not stare, Ranger," Kamikaze said. "You don't understand. Go."

"What are you three up to?" Rocky asked.

"Go," Kamikaze said as Denwa sobbed louder, a high-pitched noise that annoyed Rocky enough to make him shudder.

Tombstone looked to his leader. "We should tell him."

"Are you crazy?" Kamikaze snapped. "He's a Ranger. No honor."

Rocky knitted his brow. "Excuse me…you kidnapped my friend's sister and threatened to kill her if we didn't win a soccer game."

Denwa wailed louder.

"Seriously," Rocky said. "What's her problem."

"Tell him," Tombstone said.

Kamikaze narrowed his eye. "We are sick of fighting. If we beat you at our next game, we are released. If we lose…we die."

Denwa wailed louder. And louder.

"What are you saying?" Rocky asked.

"Help us," Tombstone said.

* * *

_**From the journal of Tommy Oliver**_

_**Reefside, VA 2013**_

_They talked Rocky into it somehow. He was to throw the baseball game, giving the Gorma a win, and releasing the trio from their master's control. _

_Conner couldn't believe any ranger would trust a villain, but I know better. Conner would have probably done the same thing._

_We went to a baseball diamond later that day and met the Gorma Stooges along with their team of Kyonshi. They each gave us hats rigged with bombs. Kamikaze had assured Rocky the bombs would be fake. _

* * *

_**Angel Grove, the present**_

The rangers tossed their caps into the air and armed their morphers. "Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted as they connected their morphers. Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their armor.

They placed on their hats and snapped into a fighting stance as a group. "Heaven Star Task Force…Angel Grove Rangers!" They couldn't help but smile beneath their helmets.

The Gorma were up to bat.

Tenma Ranger was pitching, Lion Ranger was catching.

Tombstone stepped up to bat as his sister cheered him on from the dugout.

The Blue Ranger hurled a fast ball. Tombstone swung the bat, knocking the ball away towards right field.

Dragon Ranger pounced forward and used his staff like a pole-vault to reach up and catch the ball. "Kimberly!" He tossed the ball to Phoenix Ranger at first base.

The Pink Ranger caught the ball as Tombstone charged towards her. The Gorma opened a crack on the top of his tombstone. A blast of flame fired from the crack and exploded against Phoenix Ranger with a burst of spark, knocking her backward.

Tombstone was safe on first.

* * *

_**From the journal of Tommy Oliver**_

_**Reefside, VA 2013**_

_A few innings later, the Gorma had four runs, and we were…lacking to say the last. None of us had made it past second base._

_So we decided to get a little creative. _

_Adam used his illusion powers to confuse Denwa and make it to home base. Kimberly used her wind power to make the ball curve in her favor. The White Ranger even arrived, before we knew his true identity. He didn't use his powers, but managed to tie the game._

_Bottom of the ninth. _

_Two outs._

_Rocky was up to bat._

_Kamikaze let loose with a fast ball that Rocky let speed past him. Strike one. We had no idea at the time that Rocky was actually trying to throw the game. The Gorma fired a curve ball for his next pitch. Rocky swung a foul that landed in the dugout and hit me in the helmet, knocking off my hat._

_The bomb on the hat exploded. It was not a fake as they had tricked Rocky into believing. _

* * *

_**Angel Grove, the present**_

Tenma Ranger narrowed his eyes beneath his helmet. Kamikaze laughed at the Blue Ranger, mocking the teen for falling for an obvious trick.

"I can't believe I trusted you…" Tenma Ranger said as he tightened his grip on his bat and stepped up to the plate.

Kamikaze laughed. "I can."

"I am so over it," Tenma Ranger said. "Pitch…"

Kamikaze wound back and launched the ball with a streak of motion. Tenma Ranger transferred his gravity power into the bat and swung with a streak of blue. The bat nailed the ball out of the field and shattered into splitters on impact.

It was a home run. The Rangers had won, and the three Gorma's helmets exploded accordingly.

* * *

_**From the journal of Tommy Oliver**_

_**Reefside, VA 2013**_

_I could have explained more. We would run into the stupid trio again. They would actually, no matter how unlikely, become an important part of Rocky's experience as a Ranger. _

_But that's a story for another time._

**To be continued…**


	15. Fists of Fury

**Fists of Fury**

Chinatown's best martial artists practiced on the third floor of a five-story dojo. The dojo was one of the most prestigious institutions in the city and also functioned as an upscale business, serving a variety of clients.

A humble janitor mopped the wooden floors in the hallway outside the main practice room. The doors at the end of the hallway opened as two students escorted their sensei and leader towards the main practice room.

The janitor waited until the two students past by him. Then he dropped the mop handle onto the ground in front of the sensei.

The sensei snapped around, his eyes glaring at the janitor.

The janitor, who appeared as an elderly man, wiped sweat from his forehead with a rag. "You better watch where you're going…you might get hurt."

The two students stepped forward and were about to ask the janitor to leave. But the janitor jumped, swung his legs up, and slammed kicks upside the two students' heads to knock them unconscious.

"Bastard," the sensei said as he snapped into a fighting stance. "Who do you think you are?"

The janitor smiled as he pulled a double-sided coin from his pocket. A skull was on one side, and a triangle on the other. He flipped the coin into the air and sprang forward.

The sensei blocked a front kick from the janitor and leaned forward with a powerful punch. The janitor used his palm to catch the punch, slapped the sensei's wrist away, and grabbed the sensei's throat.

The janitor twisted the sensei's windpipe. The master gurgled blood and gasped for air before collapsing to the ground.

The janitor caught the coin as it fell downward. He tore off his mask and disguise. Jinn, a young, clean-cut Japanese man, smiled down at his dead opponent.

* * *

"Well done Jinn," a businessman said to the assassin. The two men sat in a high-rise office in Angel Grove North. The businessman handed Jinn an envelop stuffed with money.

Jinn sighed and took the envelop. "This is getting too easy. I wish you'd give me a real target."

A waiter walked inside and collected empty glasses. Jinn stood, placed on his sunglasses, and put the envelop onto the waiter's tray. "Keep the change."

* * *

Tommy walked along the city streets with his book bag slung over his shoulder. He was walking home from school, talking the long route through a business and commercial district.

Further down the road nearby, a police motorcycle pulled behind a sleek black limo and activated its sirens. The limo pulled alongside the curb. Three Asian businessmen were in the back of the limo along with their body guards.

Jinn, disguised as a cop, got off the motorcycle and walked over towards the driver-side door. He leaned down to the window. "Do you have any idea how fast you were going?"

"Idiot," the driver said. "I was going exactly the speed limit."

Jinn smiled and tilted his head. "My mistake."

"That's ri-"

Jinn's left hand punctured through the door and slammed against the driver's side, cracking his ribs, sending bones cutting through vital organs.

Jinn removed his hand and walked around to the passenger side of the limo. The bodyguards flung open the limo's rear doors and unsheathed slender katana blades while charging towards Jinn on the sidewalk.

Tommy walked within sight distance of the limo. He wrinkled his brow as he watched Jinn attack.

The bodyguards swung their blades towards Jinn, but the assassin ducked under their blows. The guards spun forward while bringing their blades down low, but Jinn jumped over the swords while slamming his heels against the guards' faces, and spinning with a reverse hook kick that slammed across both their heads before landing.

"Si-kuya!" Tommy shouted as he leapt through the air with a flying sidekick that slammed against Jinn.

Jinn leapt backward with the blow and landed back on his feet at the same time Tommy landed. The teen snapped into a fighting stance.

Jinn smiled at the ranger. "Impressive. What's your name?"

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "What kind of question is that?" he asked. "You just attacked these people."

Jinn nodded. "Ah…observant as well."

Jinn held his golden coin and twirled it around in his fingers for a brief moment. He snapped the coin forward, and its edge cut across Tommy's face. Tommy flinched and placed a hand on the wound as Jinn smiled with amusement.

Tommy wrinkled his brow and charged forward to attack the assassin. Jinn smiled and charged back.

Tommy jumped and spun forward with a reverse crescent kick that Jinn ducked under. Tommy turned back towards Jinn, and the opponents snapped round kicks towards each other that they both managed to block.

Tommy spun with a sweep kick that Jinn jumped above. Jinn landed as Tommy moved forward with a high-low punch combo that Jinn blocked. Jinn countered with two round kicks that Tommy blocked, then pushed forward with a front kick and punch. Tommy was forced a few steps back as he blocked the assassin's advancing attacks.

Jinn slammed a cross punch across Tommy's jaw and moved in low with a sweep kick that the teen jumped over. Tommy landed and lunged forward with a flurry of kick combinations that Jinn blocked, each kick forcing him further backward.

Jinn blocked a kick while spinning in towards Tommy and snapping a jump spinning heel kick that Tommy ducked and rolled beneath to gain distance from the assassin. Tommy rolled to his feet and snapped into a defensive stance.

"Your style is excellent," Jinn said. "Dragon Fist, yes? With a mix of others."

The limo's engine roared and swung onto the sidewalk to make a U-turn, nearly running Tommy over. Tommy dove and rolled across the sidewalk as the limo turned and sped away. Jinn was gone when Tommy rolled back to his feet.

"Where the hell did that guy go?"

* * *

"He had to have been a Gorma," Tommy said to Kaku. He and the other teens were gathered in the lair. "He moved faster than anyone or anything I've fought against."

Kaku shook his head. "No…he is not."

Tommy knitted his brow. "Than who was he?"

"His name is Jinn Matoba," Kaku explained. "He is an assassin for hire. He has no Kiryoku."

Tommy nodded. "I still have to stop him."

Kaku shook his head. "No…he would kill you if you faced him again."

Tommy rolled his hands into fists. "If he doesn't have The Power…I can beat him."

Kaku shook his head again. "No…he is a master of kempo. He is arguably one of the deadliest men alive. And if you were to face him…it would be un-honorable to use your Kiryoku."

"But…but…" Tommy shook his head and scoffed with frustration as he looked away from his sensei.

* * *

A young Japanese woman named Tatsume sat at a park bench near Chinatown. She looked over the local section of the paper. The main package was about the recent murders of several key businessmen. "Jinn…" she whispered.

* * *

Tommy sat at Bear Lake and tossed pebbles into the water. His encounter with Jinn weighed heavily on his mind for a few reasons.

First, Kaku said Jinn could kill Tommy, even though the assassin had no powers. Tommy wanted to be the perfect fighter when he was younger. He wanted to be the best martial artist, finely tuned, disciplined, and strong. Being beaten by Jinn stirred up those feelings in Tommy.

Second and more important, Jinn represented something that chilled Tommy to the bone. Through Jinn, Tommy saw what he could have become if life had turned out differently - a killer who took joy in his work. An assassin.

"Tommy," a voice said from behind him. He turned to see his four friends approach him.

"Hey guys," Tommy said.

They crouched down next to him.

"Your face looks better," Adam said.

Tommy rubbed his wound as he nodded.

"Don't worry, Tommy," Billy said. "If this Jinn guy shows up again…we'll be there to help you."

Tommy sighed. That was not what he wanted to hear.

"I got you something," Kimberly said as she handed him a small sphere tied to a string. The sphere had a phoenix engraved in it.

Tommy smiled as he took the string from her.

"Sure," Rocky said. "A ball on a string. That oughta cheer him up."

"Rocky," Kimberly started slapping him against the shoulders. He pulled back and started stepping backward, but she pressed forward.

"Mercy mercy," Rocky said with a laugh as he tried to block her blows.

Tommy rose to his feet and smiled. "You two act like you're five," he said.

Rocky shrugged. "Five, seventeen…what's the difference."

Tommy and Kimberly hugged. Seconds later, explosions sparked around them. They dove for cover and rolled into crouching positions. They looked up to see a vase-shaped Gorma monster stalk towards them.

"Gorma!" Tommy shouted as the teens snapped into defensive stances.

"Rangers…" the bulky monster said as he stalked forward. His name was Tsubo Dojin, the Pot Taoist. "I'm glad I finally get to meet you…I've been looking forward to this."

"It's the last thing you'll be looking forward to in a long time," Tommy said as he and the others readied their morphing braces. "It's morphin time!"

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted as they connected their braces. Energy shimmered around them as they transformed into their Ranger forms.

"Thunder Staffs!" the Rangers shouted as they twirled their red staffs into fighting stances.

"Let's take care of business!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he and the others dashed forward to attack.

Tenma Ranger and Phoenix Ranger leapt forward through the air and swung their staffs downward. The staffs slammed against the bulky Gorma, but bounced back off without causing damage and nearly snapped the two Rangers' wrists.

Lion Ranger ran in next and tried to sweep the legs out from under the Gorma, but the villain leapt over the Ranger's leg.

Dragon Ranger and Kirin Ranger spun forward while swinging their staffs towards the Gorma's head. The villain ducked underneath their staffs and stepped backward.

Lion Ranger moved in with a round kick that slammed against the monster but bounced right off.

The villain swung its stubby arm towards the Ranger, but Green Ranger knocked the limb away and swung his staff back towards the villain's body.

The Gorma slapped the staff away and used his other limb to club Lion Ranger across the helmet. The Green Ranger crashed against the ground and rolled across the dirt.

Dragon Ranger and Kirin Ranger used their staffs to pole vault forward and slam kicks against Dojin, but their kicks bounced off the Gorma, knocking them backward.

Dragon Ranger used his staff to steady himself as he rose to his feet. The others gathered around him as he shook his head.

From a hilltop barely within sight distance, the Gorma Triumvirate watched. "This is getting ridiculous," Shadam said. "The Rangers should have been destroyed by now."

Gara nodded. "We need a real warrior."

An evil grin spread across Zydos's face. "I have an idea…"

"What are you talking about, Zydos?" Shadam asked.

The villain smiled.

* * *

Jinn kneeled before a gravestone while in the cemetery. He bowed while folding his hands. "Sensei…"

Tatsume slowly approached Jinn from behind. She knew she would find him at the cemetery, but now she was not sure what to do. "Jinn…"

He kept his gaze forward. "Tatsume…" Jinn stood and started to walk away.

But Tatsume stood in front of him to block his path as she held up a copy of the newspaper. "What is this? I saw this and I knew you had returned." He said nothing. "You have to stop! Your kempo wasn't supposed to be used this way."

Jinn arced an eyebrow and looked at his former lover. "Really? It was my sensei, your father, who made me this way," he said as he held up his gloved left hand.

"Jinn…" she said softly as she rubbed his hand. "I want you back the way you were."

Jinn's mind flashed back...

_Jinn was sparring with his sensei on top of a cliff. The young man was being beaten as his sensei yelled taunts. "Fight you whelp!" _

_The sensei, mad with insanity, pressed forward with a flurry of kicks that knocked Jinn over the cliff. The sensei reached forward and grabbed Jinn's left hand just in time to keep the student from plummeting towards the raging ocean shore below. _

"_I can't pull you up…let go.." the sensei said._

"_What…no!" Jinn shouted. _

"_Quit being a coward and let go! You are truly unworthy of my daughter."_

_Jinn frantically tried to climb back up his sensei's arm. "Pull me up! Sensei! Sensei!"_

"_Fine," the sensei said. He pulled out a knife and jammed the blade through Jinn's left wrist, cutting his student's hand off and watching him plummet towards the shore below. _

Jinn pulled his hand away. "The man you knew is dead," he said as he walked away. "And you're lucky your father died before I returned to him…"

"Jinn…"

He stopped for a moment. "What more do you want me to say?" he asked with his back towards her. "Ever since then, I've made it my duty to find any other so-called master who would destroy their promising students."

"Jinn!" she called again as she hugged him from his back. He stood rigid.

"The man you knew is dead," he said again.

* * *

The teens regrouped in the lair along with Kaku.

"That fat monster packs a punch," Rocky said as he nursed his injured shoulder.

"Sensei…" Tommy started to say.

"In order to defeat this Gorma…you must learn to strike quicker. More efficiently. It is the only way to stand up to one who has mastered kempo, as has this Gorma."

Tommy wrinkled his brow.

* * *

Zydos walked through a dark, foggy forest cluttered with skulls and broken bone. "This is the perfect place…" he said.

He pulled a black crystal sphere from his jacket and extended it forward. An onyx pedestal grew from the sphere and connected it to the ground with a flash of dark light. A demonic symbol spread across the ground in a circular formation.

Zydos whispered an incantation. The crystal started to glow red.

* * *

A sensei sat in the garden outside his dojo within Angel Grove's Chinatown. Jinn slowly walked towards the man's back.

Four guards immediately sensed danger and stood between their master and the assassin while unsheathing samurai-style swords.

"Wait!" the master shouted while still sitting. "I will handle this. Watch and see what a true master is capable of."

The opponents faced each other. The sensei unsheathed a katana blade. "You dare to challenge me?" the sensei said as he lowered his sword into a fighting stance.

Jinn silently flipped his coin into the air before pouncing forward. The sensei chopped his blade towards Jinn's head. Jinn reached out with his left hand and grabbed the blade. The assassin twisted the sword aside while reaching forward with his right hand, grabbing the man's throat, and twisting the master's windpipe.

The sensei dropped dead to the ground as Jinn caught his coin.

"Si-kuya!" Tommy suddenly leapt through the air with a flying sidekick.

Jinn turned and snapped a sidekick of his own, slamming his heel against the teens' foot. Tommy somersaulted backward through the air and landed on his feet while snapping into a fighting stance.

"It ends here, Jinn," Tommy said. "I don't care who you are or what lack of powers you have…you're evil. And I made a promise a long time ago to do everything I could to stop people like you."

Jinn smiled and walked towards the teen. "I admire your honor, as well as your skill, but don't pretend to understand me."

"What is there to understand? You're a murderer."

Jinn laughed beneath his breath. "Things are not always so black and white, Tommy, my friend."

Tommy narrowed his eyes. "I'm not your friend…so shut up and fight…"

Jinn grinned and assumed a simple fighting stance, extending his left palm heel forward. "I accept your challenge."

* * *

The other four teens practiced sparring in a grassy field. Billy fought Kimberly with his Thunder Staff and Adam fought Rocky with his Thunder Staff.

"Keep up the pace," Adam said.

The vase-shaped Gorma appeared on a nearby hill. "It's no use!" he shouted to the four rangers.

* * *

Tommy and Jinn shifted fighting stances as they circled around each other, looking for weaknesses in each others' stances and form.

Jinn had a smug grin on his face, which made Tommy tense with anger. It was like looking in a dark mirror for the teen.

"It ends here," Tommy said quietly.

* * *

The four teens armed their wrist braces. "Chakra ignite!" they connected their morphers as energy shimmered around them and they transformed into their armor.

The Rangers leapt forward to attack.

"Star Blades!" Lion Ranger and Kirin Ranger shouted as they armed their ring-shaped blades. They swung the weapons hard against the monster, but the blades bounced off the villain, knocking the Rangers backward.

* * *

Tommy and Jinn leapt at each other with flying sidekicks, passing by each other in midair. They landed back-to-back.

Tommy jumped and swung a spinning hook kick towards Jinn, but at the same time, Jinn had dropped low for a sweep kick that passed underneath the ranger.

Tommy snapped a jump roundkick that Jinn blocked. Jinn pressed forward with a flurry of punches that the teen blocked while stepping backward. Jinn launched a right roundkick that slammed against Tommy's block, and a left roundkick that Tommy blocked.

Jinn snapped a front kick that Tommy caught and pushed up, flipping Jinn over, but the assassin somersaulted backward through the air and landed on his feet. Jinn sprang forward through the air and slammed a screw kick against Tommy, knocking the ranger backward.

* * *

"Heaven Wind Star!" Phoenix Ranger shouted as she placed her right fist against her left palm. The phoenix eyes on her helmet flashed with energy. "Whirl-wind destruction!"

The Gorma tilted his head, An opening slid like an iris and sucked the energy blast inside.

* * *

Tommy rolled into a crouched position and looked up to see Jinn charging towards him. Tommy acted on instinct and thrust his hand forward. "Kiryoku!"

An invisible burst of energy slammed against Jinn and sent him flying off his feet. The villain slammed against a tree trunk before crashing to the ground.

Jinn narrowed his eyes as he rose to his feet. "Bastard!" he yelled. "You would dishonor me by attacking with a power I don't have! It's about time I let loose…Spider Fist!"

Jinn launched forward with a lightning-quick flurry of punches, faster than anything Tommy had seen. He managed to parry one or two of the blows, but the rest of the barrage slammed against his chest and face, battering the ranger's body and cracking bone. Jinn slammed a final punch across Tommy's head.

Tommy's vision blurred as he crashed onto his back. He tried to get up but suddenly went limp.

Jinn smiled at the fallen teen and walked away.

* * *

Explosions sparked around the four Rangers and knocked them backward. Tsubo Dojin stalked towards them while holding a small vase beneath his left arm.

"Thunder Sword!" Phoenix Ranger shouted as she unsheathed her weapon and leapt towards the Gorma.

The monster opened his vase. The vase emitted an energy well that wrapped around Phoenix Ranger and dragged her into a small pocket dimension inside.

"Kimberly!" Kirin Ranger shouted.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Tommy, Rocky, Adam and Billy regrouped in the lair with Kaku. Tommy was still badly beaten, having only regained consciousness a few hours earlier.

Rocky slammed his fist into a wall. "How can we beat that guy if we can't even hurt him!"

"Remember what you have all been taught," Kaku said as he walked towards them. "It is not always a matter of power versus power. You must find alternative means to counter this Gorma's kempo skills. Focus on your inner power."

Tommy lowered his gaze. His mind flashed back to the rapid-punch attack Jinn had used against him. The young ranger had a feeling that the assassin's attack could defeat this new Gorma.

Kaku walked over to Tommy. "Tommy," Kaku said. "I know what you are thinking…do not face Jinn again."

Sensei walked away. Tommy rolled his hands into fists.

* * *

An older master was pushed in a wheelchair out of the hospital. The man was wheeled to a limo parked by the curb. Jinn threw on a fake smile and walked towards the man with a small bouquet of flowers in hand.

"Sensei," Jinn said. He bowed and handed the old man the flowers. "I am honored to finally meet you. May you have a quick recovery."

Tatsume, a nurse at the hospital, stopped in her tracks on the way outside when she noticed Jinn. Her eyes opened wide with horror. "No…"

The old man smiled graciously and accepted the flowers. "Thank you."

Jinn's face became stern. He thrust his fingers past the flowers towards the man's throat, but the master caught Jinn's fingers just in time. The master kicked Jinn backward and leapt from the wheelchair with an amazing display of strength.

The opponents corkscrewed through the air and exchanged blows before landing with their backs towards one another. Tatsume watched in shock as the old man collapsed dead to the ground.

* * *

Tatsume followed Jinn onto a pedestrian bridge in the park and confronted him. Jinn tried to ignore her and leaned over the bridge rail as she spoke. "What happened to you Jinn? You used to be so…full of love…"

He said nothing.

"Don't you remember what we used to have, Jinn?"

Jinn did remember. He remembered holding her. Making love to her, carving their names into trees when they were children. "I remember…but those feelings left me the day I lost this hand."

He started to walk away.

"Jinn!" she called.

"Go on with your life, Tatsume," Jinn said without turning to face her.

* * *

Tommy, Adam, Rocky, and Billy sparred by the shore. Each was dressed in a black karate uniform. Tommy suddenly collapsed and winced in pain.

"Tommy!" Adam shouted as he and the others ran to their leader's side.

"What's wrong?" Rocky asked.

Tommy shook his head. He could not tell them. They wouldn't understand.

Explosions suddenly sparked around the teens as they rolled for cover. They rose into crouched positions and looked up to see Tsubo Dojin stalk towards them.

The villain would have smiled if he had a mouth. "The other four Rangers…excellent."

"Let Kimberly go!" Rocky shouted.

"Make me!" the villain shouted as a challenge to the teens.

Adam, Rocky, and Billy charged towards the Gorma. Tommy was still keeled over in pain.

"Chakra ignite!" the three teens shouted as they connected their braces. Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

"Tenma Screw Kick!" the Blue Ranger leapt through the air and started to spin like a drill, aiming his heels towards the Gorma's head.

"Kirin Head Crash!" Yellow Ranger shouted as he lunged forward with a flying head-but.

"Lion Punch!" the Green Ranger leapt forward and swung his fist towards the villain.

Their attacks bounced off the monster and threw them backward. The three Rangers went skidding across the ground.

Tommy was still on all fours, fighting off pain as he wrinkled his brow. "Guys…"

The monster opened its vase. Lion Ranger and Kirin Ranger managed to leap to the side, but Tenma Ranger was caught in a swirling vortex and pulled inside.

* * *

Zydos still stood over the crystal sphere and whispered an incantation. Whispering became shouting as he honed in on what he needed.

* * *

Jinn sat in his spacious apartment and removed his left glove. His artificial hand was all metal and rather squeaky. He reached up with his fake hand and ran it along a flower pedal.

* * *

An image of a skull appeared in the crystal sphere. Zydos smiled, his eyes opened wide. "I've found him," Zydos said. "I've done it!" he said as he lifted up the crystal ball, and tendrils of red energy shot from its surface.

* * *

Tommy was in one of the lair's side chambers. The room was dark except for rows of candles. Tommy stared into a flame and struck a punch over it. The flame flickered but did not extinguish. Tommy turned to another candle and struck over it with the same results. He snapped to another candle and struck a vertical punch.

The candles stayed lit.

"Damn," he muttered to himself as he tried again. He suddenly winced in pain and collapsed to the ground. He took off his top, revealing a suit of tightening springs wrapped across his upper body and arms. The springs fought against his every movement, slowing him down while cutting into his skin.

"Kimberly…Rocky…guys…" Tommy tightened the springs and stood.

Kaku watched from the entrance of the room. _He is trying to surpass Jinn's skills…to save his friends…_

* * *

Hours passed. Jinn parked in an ocean-shore parking lot and stepped out from his car. Tommy stood by the shore, his eyes glaring at the assassin. He was dressed in a black karate uniform.

Jinn walked towards his opponent. "How are you doing, Tommy?" Jinn asked.

Tommy rolled his hands into fists. "I'm ready…face me again…"

Jinn shook his head. "If I fight you again…I will have to kill you this time…even though I respect your spirit…and pity you…"

"I'm not asking for pity…" Tommy said.

Jinn wrinkled his brow.

* * *

Adam and Billy squared off with the vase-shaped Gorma. "Where is your leader?" the Gorma asked. "Or was he wise enough not to face me?"

Adam and Billy leapt through the air and connected their morphers. "Chakra ignite!"

* * *

Tommy and Jinn leapt towards each other. Their fists slammed together in midair, knuckle against knuckle, as they spun forward and each slammed kicks against each other. They landed back-to-back.

Jinn turned and dashed towards Tommy. The assassin snapped a high and low roundkick combo that Tommy blocked. The teen knocked Jinn's leg away and spun forward with a reverse sidekick that slammed against Jinn's chest.

Jinn was visibly impressed by the ranger's increased speed.

Tommy removed the top of his uniform to reveal the set of tight springs.

"Fool!" Jinn called. "You'll kill yourself."

Tommy stretched his muscles until the wiring broke. The teen snapped into a fighting stance and waved Jinn forward.

Jinn narrowed his eyes. "Spider Fist!" Jinn shouted. The assassin launched forward with a flurry of turbo-speed punches. Tommy blocked each blow, his arms and fists a blur of motion as the sound of fist and arms slamming against each other sounded almost as rapid as machine-gun fire.

Tommy caught the last punch with his hand and lunged forward, slamming a cross punch against Jinn's face. Tommy spun a reverse heel kick that slammed across Jinn's head, forcing the assassin backward.

"How…" Jinn said. "Is this your magick?"

"No," Tommy said. "It's all me…"

The opponents charged at one another again. Tommy somersaulted forward through the air and slammed a scissor kick across the assassin's head. The force of the blow knocked Jinn off his feet and sent him tumbling into the water before losing consciousness.

Tommy dragged him back to the shore before running off to help his friends.

* * *

The Gorma slammed Lion Ranger and Kirin Ranger to the ground. Tommy ran to the scene in the distance just as the Gorma sucked the Green and Yellow Rangers into his vase.

Tommy ran closer to the Gorma and narrowed his brow. "You're going to pay!"

"You're no match for my kempo!" the monster shouted.

The Gorma fired an optic blast that exploded around Tommy with a massive explosion, causing flames to snap out and burn the ground. When the flames cleared, Dragon Ranger stood tall.

Dragon Ranger charged forward towards his opponent. The Red Ranger slammed a jumpkick against the Gorma, a roundhouse kick, and a roundkick against the villain's side. Each blow pushed the monster backward.

The monster swung its stubby arm towards the Ranger. Red Ranger knocked the fist away and reached forward, grabbing the Gorma by the eye. The villain winced with pain and took a step backward.

Dragon Ranger spun forward with a reverse sidekick that slammed against the Gorma's chest, sending him stumbling backward.

Dragon Ranger placed his fist against his palm as the dragon eyes on his helmet flashed with blue energy. "Heaven Fire Star…" he shouted as red energy crackled around his body. "Dragon-Fang fist!"

Dragon Ranger's fists radiated with power as he punched forward, slamming a barrage of super-speed punches that forced the villain back.

Red Ranger pressed forward, his final punch exploding against the Gorma with a massive burst of spark that knocked the villain from his feet.

The Gorma's vase cracked as the other four Rangers appeared in bursts of energy.

Dragon Ranger ran over to their side. "Guys…are you alright?"

The Gorma pulled an enlarging bomb and threw it to the ground. The bomb exploded, and the Gorma absorbed the energy from the explosion, using it to grow giant.

The Rangers unsheathed their Thunder Swords and held their gems as they raised their blades into the air. "Thunderzords, arise!"

* * *

Jinn crawled further onto the shore. "Failed…I can't believe I failed."

Jinn looked up to see Zydos standing over him. The Gorma looked down at the assassin while holding a dark crystal ball. "It is not that you failed. The boy has just become stronger than you."

Zydos leaned down towards Jinn. "But I can give you power that would rival his. But first you have to kill your weakness."

Jinn looked shocked as he stared at the stranger.

"Jinn!" Tatsume shouted as she ran towards him.

A fiendish smile crossed the Gorma's face. Zydos nodded and walked off.

Jinn rose to his knees as Tatsume wrapped her arms around him. Jinn's face was stone cold, revealing no emotions. "My weakness..." he said quietly to himself. He placed his arms on her back.

"Jinn…" she said as she looked at him. Jinn would not meet her gaze. She gasped as Jinn's metal hand punctured her side.

"Jinn…" her time with Jinn flashed before her eyes. The laughing. The joy. All of it destroyed. She collapsed and died.

Jinn stood up as the Zydos reappeared. "Very good," Zydos said. "Now we can begin! You will be an unstoppable force!"

Zydos held up his crystal ball and whispered an incantation. The skies turned black, and red lightning struck Jinn. The assassin howled with pain as power filled his every pore. Red and black leather armor formed across his body and legs. His entire left arm covered with jagged metal.

* * *

"MegaThunderzord Saber!" the Rangers shouted from their cockpit. "Lightning Slash!"

The sword energized with crackling power and slashed through the Gorma monster. The villain collapsed as its energy overloaded and exploded with a massive eruption of flame and spark.

* * *

"Excellent Jinn…" Zydos said as he looked at the assassin. "Behold your new form! Welcome to the Gorma"

Jinn stood firmly and tightened his fists. He jumped over Zydos while kicking the Gorma in the back. Zydos toppled to the ground.

"Bastard!" Zydos yelled.

"I work for no one," Jinn said as he slowly walked away.

* * *

At sunset, the teens ran to the shore but saw no sign of Jinn. Tommy saw Jinn's coin, picked it up, and stared at it as the others stood silently over him. What did the coin mean? Jinn would not just leave it behind. Something had happened.

Somewhere off in the distance, Jinn was laughing.

**To be continued…**


	16. Enter the United Four

**Enter the United Four**

The Gorma's palace hung in the air like an inverted pyramid. The structure was surrounded by floating metal spheres, naked to the human eye.

Inside, the Gorma Triumvirate stood on a high column that rose next to the emperor's floating platform. They watched as the emperor rolled three dice, getting sixes each time. "Things do not look good for you three," the emperor said as he threw dice into a bowl. "The dice say so."

"Has he gone crazy?" Zydos quietly asked Gara.

The Emperor threw a dice into Zydos's mouth. "Crazy maybe, but not deaf. I will be giving you help…I sense a strange energy emerging. Shitenno!"

Four warriors dressed like ancient Japanese monks stepped out from the shadows onto a floating pedestal. They clanked their staffs against the pedestal surface. They were the Shitenno, the Four Deva Kings.

The emperor laughed and tossed his dice again.

* * *

Kameo sat in his small, second-story apartment in Angel Grove Central. He drew various sketches as his turtles sat by in tanks and on the ground. He heard a horn honk outside and gasped happily.

Kameo gathered turtles into his pockets and went outside. Kameo moved onto the parking lot to where Billy was parked. The teen had his trunk open.

"Billy!" Kameo said as he walked towards the teen.

"Hey," Billy said as he started to unload a package from his car. "This is all you should need to get hooked up to the internet…"

"Ah…" Kameo said. "Business is going well then?"

Billy shrugged. "Our little INET company's expanding a little further off campus every day."

Only a high school student, Billy had worked with Angel Grove University's research and technology departments to start a student organized and operated digital company called INET.

"Ah," Kameo said as he nodded. He gasped as a turtle struggled within his pocket. "Water! He needs water!"

"Hey," Billy said as Kameo grabbed dishes from Billy's trunk.

Kameo moved over to a nearby fountain and started scooping up water for his turtle.

Billy sighed and shook his head. Kameo was by far Billy's strangest customer.

Kameo tilted his head when he noticed a large clear jewel in the water. "Huh?" he reached in and wrapped his chubby hand around the jewel, pulling it out from the water. "What's this…cool!"

Explosions suddenly sparked around them as Kameo crashed onto his tailbone. Shadam stepped forward from the distance.

"Gorma!" Billy shouted. He stepped in front of Kameo and snapped into a fighting stance to protect the older teenager.

Shadam snapped his fingers, summoning a group of Kyonshi that charged forward to attack.

Billy twisted a soldier's arm and flipped the grunt to the ground. He slammed his forearm against a soldier's wrist to block a saber strike and slammed a punch against the grunt's chest.

A third Kyonshi chopped a sword towards Billy's head. Billy grabbed the grunt by the wrist and twisted his arm downward. He looked over to Kameo. "Run!"

Kameo scrambled to his feet and ran, his eyes wide with fear.

Billy jump kicked a soldier in the chest and flipped a second grunt over his shoulder. The soldiers kept coming as quickly as Billy disposed of them.

"The energy is coming from him," Shadam said as he pointed to Kameo. "Find out what he has!"

Billy continued to fight and activated his communicator. "Sensei…I need help."

* * *

Across the streets, the Four Deva Kings chanted as they walked single file. Their presence drew stares from the crowd. Some were mystified, others thought it was a street production, while some hardly noticed. It was Angel Grove, after all. They were used to such things.

The other four teens and Kou stepped out of a movie theater on a nearby street corner. Tommy had his arm around Kimberly's shoulder. "Well that was…interesting," Tommy said.

"It sucked," Kou said.

"You're a subtle kid, you know that?" Rocky said as Kou grinned with pride.

Kou felt a wave of light-headedness overcome him. Then a whistle noise cut through the streets. He looked to see Akomaru, who was supposed to be dead, riding his chariot across the street. The Gorma boy waved Kou forward.

Kou's mind flashed back.

_Akomaru stepped from the chariot. "I have a present for you," he said to Kou as he stepped back to the second chariot. He pulled the black cloth away. Kou's mother was inside, bound and gagged. "Perhaps you know her."_

_Kou's eyes opened wide as his breath caught in his throat. "Mother…" he whispered. "Mother!"_

"_Kou!" she called in a muffled voice._

_Kou ran towards the chariot. _

"_Back!" Akomaru extended his hand and fired an invisible Kiryoku burst that slammed against Kou and knocked the boy backward. Kou crashed onto his tailbone. _

_Akomaru stalked towards the fallen boy. "I'll give her back to you if you join me. The two of us can kill Shadam and the emperor…Then we will rule." _

"_Go to hell!" Kou shouted as he sprang forward and pushed Akomaru aside. _

_Kou moved towards the chariot and grabbed it, quickly turning it around and running towards the distance. Kyonshi leapt towards Kou and grabbed him, lifting him off his feet and tossing him back onto the ground._

"_Be that way," Akomaru said. He extended his hand towards the chariot. An invisible strand of energy lifted Kou's mother and dragged her away through the air._

"_No!" Kou shouted as he ran after her. "Mother!"_

_Kou made it to a clearing near the mountains, but he was too late. His mother was gone. Kou turned and clenched his jaw when he heard Akomaru's laughter come from behind. "Bring her back!"_

_Akomaru smirked. _

_Kou pounced forward and grabbed Akomaru by the collar. "Bring her back!" Kou slammed a hook punch across the Gorma's face._

Kou narrowed his eyes and ran after the boy.

"Kou!" Kimberly yelled as she followed. The others followed too. They moved around a street corner and into a less dense part of the bustling city.

Adam lost track of the others when a wave of light-headedness struck him.

"Adam!" a voice called to him. Adam looked up to a higher level of the streets to see Kujaku standing on a patch of grass.

His mind flashed back.

_Adam collapsed with fatigue. The heat was making it too hard to breathe. He felt dehydrated. He could not will his aching muscles to move._

_Kujaku moved over to him and placed her hand across the side of his face. "Adam…" she whispered. "Feel my strength…" Kujaku closed her eyes and summoned her power. Rainbow-tinted energy flowed from her body and into Adam's. _

_She slowly ran her finger across his cheek. Adam reached up and placed his hand over hers as her energy flowed over him in an intimate way. He tilted his head and kissed her palm. _

_Energy surged through Adam as he slowly rose to his feet and turned back towards the wall. He launched a flurry of punches that bashed away at the opening he had already created. Each blow demolished part of the wall upon impact._

She stepped back out of sight. "Kujaku!" Adam called as he ran after her.

Rocky was also running alone nearby. "Man…where'd everyone go?"

A wave of light headedness washed over him.

"Hey!" three voices shouted.

Rocky turned to see the Three Gorma Stooges staring down at him. They were on a concrete entryway on the second story of a building.

"You guys!" Rocky shouted. "I thought you three were mulch now?"

The siblings had approached Rocky and told him they didn't wish to fight anymore. Rocky had trusted them, but they betrayed him.

Rocky ran after them.

Tommy was walking through a plaza when a wave of dizziness overcame him. Jinn suddenly leapt out of the air as if from nowhere and slammed a flying sidekick against the teen.

_Jinn parked in an ocean-shore parking lot and stepped out from his car. Tommy stood by the shore, his eyes glaring at the assassin. He was dressed in a black karate uniform. _

_Jinn walked towards his opponent. "How are you doing, Tommy?" Jinn asked. _

_Tommy rolled his hands into fists. "I'm ready…face me again…" _

_Jinn shook his head. "If I fight you again…I will have to kill you this time…even though I respect your spirit…and pity you…" _

"_I'm not asking for pity…" Tommy said._

_Jinn wrinkled his brow._

_Tommy and Jinn leapt towards each other. Their fists slammed together in midair, knuckle against knuckle, as they spun forward and slammed kicks against each other. They landed back-to-back. _

_Jinn turned and dashed towards Tommy. The assassin snapped a high and low roundkick combo that Tommy blocked. The teen knocked Jinn's leg away and spun forward with a reverse sidekick that slammed against Jinn's chest. _

_Jinn was visibly impressed by the ranger's increased speed._

_Tommy removed the top of his uniform to reveal the set of tight springs. _

"_Fool!" Jinn called. "You'll kill yourself."_

_Tommy stretched his muscles until the wiring broke. The teen snapped into a fighting stance and waved Jinn forward. _

_Jinn narrowed his eyes. "Spider Fist!" Jinn shouted. The assassin launched forward with a flurry of turbo-speed punches. Tommy blocked each blow, his arms and fists a blur of motion as the sound of fist and arms slamming against each other sounded almost as rapid as machine-gun fire. _

_Tommy caught the last punch with his hand and lunged forward, slamming a cross punch against Jinn's face. Tommy spun a reverse heel kick that slammed across Jinn's head, forcing the assassin backward._

"_How…" Jinn said. "Is this your magick?"_

"_No," Tommy said. "It's all me…"_

* * *

Kameo ran as fast as he could across an asphalt path that cut through a wooded park. Kyonshi suddenly dropped to the ground and surrounded him. Zydos stepped forward and grabbed Kameo by the face. "Are you afraid to die?"

Tears streamed down his cheeks. "Don't hurt me…please don't hurt me…"

The crystal in Kameo's pocket pulsed with jade energy that flashed outward, exploding against Zydos and the Kyonshi. Kameo fell backward.

Kirin Ranger leapt onto the scene and helped Kameo to his feet. "Are you alright?"

Kameo nodded. The Yellow Ranger led Kameo away as they ran through the park.

Zydos rose from the ground and pointed in their direction. "After them!"

* * *

Billy and Kameo sat at a plaza. Billy picked up the crystal from Kameo and looked over its surface. "Where did this come from?"

"Give it back!" Kameo said as he grabbed the crystal. "It helped me." Kameo reached into his pockets for his turtles. "Now…my friends must be antsy after all that excitement…"

Kameo laid nearly a dozen turtles down on the grass.

"Were all those in your pockets?" Billy asked.

"Well yeah," Kameo said. "Where else would I put them?"

Billy sighed and shook his head.

Kameo opened his eyes wide with shock. "Oh no, I'm missing one…he must have fallen…I have to find him!" Kameo ran off.

"Wait!" Billy shouted as he ran after his new friend.

* * *

The other four teens and Kou appeared in a black pocket dimension with fog drifting across the ground and a handful of twisted, dead trees scattered about.

"Guys!" Tommy said as they regrouped.

"Hey," Rocky called as they joined together.

"What's going on?" Adam said.

"I don't know," Tommy said. "Jinn attacked me and then…"

Kujaku, Jinn, Akomaru, and the three-stupid Gorma appeared in the blink of an eye. They started laughing at the gathered rangers. The teens snapped into fighting stances. Kimberly stood protectively in front of Kou.

"They can't be real," Tommy said. "Let's go!"

The rangers charged forward, but the illusions vanished just as the four ancients appeared behind the teens. The rangers turned and assumed fighting stances.

Tommy narrowed his eyes at the villains. "Gorma…what are you up to this time?"

The Gorma removed their hats. A ring of horns wrapped around each of their bald heads. The Gorma third eye was on each of their foreheads.

"I'm not impressed," Rocky said.

"Kou," Kimberly said. "Go hide."

Kou ran off.

Tommy armed his morphers. "Guys…it's morphin time!"

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted as they connected their braces. Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

"Thunder Swords!" they shouted as they unsheathed their blades. They charged forward to attack.

Nearby, Kou leapt over a boulder and ducked for cover. "I have to help them," Kou said as Byakko peaked his head out.

"Not here," Byakko said. "They can't learn that you're the Kiba Ranger!"

* * *

Kameo continued to run and practically fell to the ground when he spotted his lost turtle. "Oh…please be alive," he said as he picked the lost turtle up.

Billy ran over to Kameo. "Don't just run off like that when the Gorma-"

"Kirin Ranger!" Shadam shouted.

Billy stood in front of Kameo and snapped into a fighting stance as the Gorma stalked forward. Shadam extended his hand. "Hand him over," Shadam said. "He has something we need."

"No!" Billy shouted as he leapt through the air. "Chakra ignite!" Energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

"Thunder Sword!" Kirin Ranger shouted as he unsheathed his blade.

Gara lifted her hand and blasted Kirin Ranger out of the air with a violet-tinted energy pulse that exploded against the Ranger's armor with a burst of spark. The Yellow Ranger crashed to the ground.

"Billy!" Kameo shouted.

Zydos reached down and lifted the Ranger by the throat. The Gorma slammed the back of his fist across the Ranger's helmet while tossing him aside.

Zydos walked over to Kameo and lifted the older teen up by the shirt collar. Zydos searched Kameo's pockets but found nothing. He could no longer sense the energy source either. "It's not here!"

* * *

Dragon Ranger rolled into a crouched position and snapped into a fighting stance while holding his sword high.

An ancient spun his staff and knocked the Red Ranger's sword aside. The Gorma slashed the Ranger diagonally across the chest. The ancient dashed past the Red Ranger while slashing him across the chest horizontally.

Dragon Ranger spun around and swung his blade towards the ancient's head. The Gorma used his staff to block the sword.

The Red Ranger pulled back and swung upward towards the Gorma's body. The ancient caught the blade with his bare hands and opened his jaw wide. Crimson energy tentacles lashed out from the Gorma's mouth and wrapped around Dragon Ranger. The tentacles lifted him into the air and exploded against his armor with a shower of sparks.

Nearby, Phoenix Ranger swung her sword towards an ancient. The Gorma disappeared and reappeared behind the Pink Ranger. Phoenix Ranger turned and swung her blade back towards the Gorma. The villain disappeared and reappeared behind her again.

The villain opened his jaw and spat a torrent of energy wind that exploded against Phoenix Ranger while blowing her off her feet.

Meanwhile Tenma Ranger leapt towards an ancient.

"Tenma Screw Kick!" Tenma Ranger slammed a screw kick against the Gorma's chest, knocking the villain backward.

The villain extended his staff. The Blue Ranger's kick slammed against the weapon, and the Gorma pushed him away. Tenma Ranger crashed to the ground. The Gorma slammed the end of his staff down, summoning pillars of flame that exploded against the Blue Ranger and knocked him backward.

Another ancient grabbed Lion Ranger by the throat. The Gorma slammed a series of roundkicks against the Ranger's side.

The villain released the Ranger and slammed a staff across Lion Ranger's helmet.

Lion Ranger tumbled across the ground and rose to his feet. The other Rangers regrouped around him.

"We have to get out of here," Tenma Ranger said.

"How?" Phoenix Ranger asked.

Dragon Ranger noticed flashing gems around the Four Deva Kings' necks. "Those gems…" Dragon Ranger said as he armed his weapon. "Thunder Blaster!"

Dragon Ranger fired lances of red energy that exploded against the gems, causing the pocket dimension to rupture as blinding white light filled the darkness.

* * *

"Thunder Blaster!" Kirin Ranger shouted. He fired lances of yellow energy that exploded against the Gorma Triumvirate and Kyonshi.

Shadam extended his hand and fired a pulse of blue energy from his palm that exploded against the Yellow Ranger and knocked him off his feet. Kirin Ranger crashed to the ground.

A bright light suddenly flashed as the other four Rangers, Kou, and the four ancients fell to the ground.

"Billy?" Dragon Ranger said when he noticed his friend. The Rangers regrouped.

"You guys came at a good time," Kirin Ranger said

The four ancients stood in front of the Triumvirate and faced the Rangers.

"Stop them!" Gara shouted.

The four ancients slammed the ends of their staffs against the ground, sparking energy within their weapons and their bodies. The villains stood with their backs towards each other. Energy flashed around them as they merged into one Gorma monster.

The monster was a tall creature with four identical heads, each looking in a different compass direction. The monster's skin was pale, and his eyes beady red. The villain's name was Gattai Shitenno.

The villain lifted an enlarging bomb and dropped it. The bomb exploded, and Shitenno absorbed the energy and grew giant.

The Rangers unsheathed their Thunder Swords and readied their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords arise!"

The five Thunderzords charged over the landscape after appearing from the sky. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

On the ground, Kou ducked behind a tree. Byakko peaked his head out from Kou's jacket. "Kou…" Byakko said. "Now would be a good time."

Kou nodded and armed his morphers. "Chakra ignite, Kiba Power!" he inserted his key into his brace. Energy flashed around him as he matured and morphed into his Ranger armor.

Kiba Ranger lifted his saber and held his Thunder Gem. "Thunderzord arise! White Tiger!"

The White Tiger Thunderzord stomped forward as Kiba Ranger leapt into his zord's cockpit.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma.

"White Tiger! Rise up!" Kiba Ranger shouted while inserting his saber into his console. The White Tiger crackled with energy and started to change shape. The zord transformed into a humanoid-shaped warrior. The head of the tiger was on the zord's chest, and the golden tail formed a curved blade.

The White Ranger thrust his hands forward. "Kiba! Fusion!"

The Lion, Tenma, Kirin, and Phoenix crackled with energy and shot towards the White Tiger. The Lion formed shoulder armor while wrapping around the zord's back. The Tenma and Kirin formed the Megazord's legs as the Phoenix became an arm-mounted weapon.

Lion Ranger, Phoenix Ranger, Tenma Ranger, and Kirin Ranger joined Kiba Ranger in the zord's cockpit. "MegaTigerzord… Kiba Daiou!"

The Red Dragon and MegaTigerzord surrounded the monster. Red Dragon moved in to attack.

Red Dragon swung his staff towards the Gorma. The monster used its staff to parry the blow and slash the zord across the chest with a burst of spark.

MegaTigerzord moved in and swung his arm-mounted Phoenix blade towards the Gorma. The villain parried the blow and speared his staff against the zord. Shitenno extended his staff and fired tendrils of blue energy that exploded against the two zords with a massive burst of spark and flame.

Red Dragon slammed a roundkick against the villain's side and swung his staff towards the villain's head. The Gorma used his staff to parry the blow and strike the zord across the chest.

The red-armored zord maneuvered behind the Gorma and used his staff to hold the monster steady.

"Do it, guys," Dragon Ranger said.

"MegaTigerzord!" the Rangers shouted. "Grand-Phoenix Crash!"

The Phoenix extended its wings and shot towards the monster. Fiery energy twisted around the Phoenix as it streaked through the monster, piercing through its body. Explosions tore apart the Gorma as he collapsed to the ground, his own energy overloading and exploding.

* * *

Kameo and Billy walked back towards the apartment district. Billy kept trying to walk faster. "Come on!" Kameo yelled. "Tell me all about it!"

"No," Billy said.

"Come on…how long have you been a Ranger?"

Billy sighed and rolled his eyes as he continued walking.

* * *

On the streets of Angel Grove, the four ancients reappeared in their human forms.

**To be continued…**


	17. The Digging Ground

**The Digging Ground**

Kou raced through the park on his skateboard while heading away from Kimberly's apartment. He weaved in and out of pedestrian traffic on the wide brick path as Kimberly chased after him on foot.

"Kou! Get back here!" she yelled.

Kou looked back at her while racing forward, a mischievous grin on his face. "You'll have to run faster than that!"

Kimberly sighed as she kept moving forward. Rocky was nearby on a jog when he spotted Kimberly chasing after Kou. Rocky smiled. "The more things change…"

He jogged after them.

Kou skid his skateboard to a stop when he heard someone calling his name from the distance. The voice seemed faint but gradually became clearer. "Kou…Kou!"

It was his mother.

"Mother!" he threw down the skateboard and ran towards the voice. "Mother!" he shouted again. But the voice vanished with a small gust of wind.

Kimberly and Rocky ran over to the boy. "Kou what's wrong?" Kimberly asked.

"She was here! She was here!" he shouted.

A kid was riding his bike along a path nearby. A fishhook suddenly shot out as if from nowhere and snagged the kid off his bike. He screamed while the hook dragged him through the air.

"What the hell?" Rocky yelled as he, Kimberly, and Kou ran after the kid.

The three rangers skid to a halt. A man dressed in ragged brown robes stood on a hill above. He was dressed in a circular straw hat shaped like a bowl. He was the Gorma called Hayakuchi Tabigarasu, the Fast-Talking Player.

"Who's this goon?" Rocky asked.

"I am but a fisherman…a fisher of souls to put to work…" the man said.

"Kou, run," Kimberly said as Kou ran for cover. She looked to Rocky and readied her morpher. "It's morphin time."

"Right," he said.

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" They connected their braces. Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

"Kyonshi!" the Gorma yelled. A group of the black-clad soldiers appeared and charged forward to attack.

Tenma Ranger slammed a tornado kick against a grunt's head and spun forward, crashing a sidekick against a second soldier's chest.

The Blue Ranger turned while flipping a soldier over his shoulder and roundhouse kicked another grunt aside with a swift blow to the head. The Rangers had battling Kyonshi down to a science. Sometimes Tenma Ranger thought he could fight the grunts in his sleep.

A soldier rushed towards the Pink Ranger's back. Phoenix Ranger slammed her elbow against the grunt's chest while looking forward at a second approaching grunt.

The Pink Ranger snapped her leg around in an outer crescent kick that bashed the soldier across the head.

Kou ducked behind a bush nearby. Byakko peaked out from the boy's jacket. "Kou," Byakko said. "Transform."

Kou rose to his feet and readied his key and wrist brace. "Chakra ignite, Kiba Power!" Kou inserted his key into his morpher. Light flashed around him as his body matured and he morphed into his Ranger form.

Nearby, Phoenix Ranger backflipped while smashing a soldier upside the head. She moved in low and swept kicked the legs out from underneath a second soldier. Phoenix Ranger rose back to full height just in time to slam an outer crescent kick against an approaching grunt.

Another soldier pounced forward and swung his staff towards the Pink Ranger's head. Phoenix Ranger knocked the staff away and slammed the back of her fist across the grunt's face.

The last three soldiers charged towards Tenma Ranger. He knocked them aside one by one while dashing past them with an inner crescent kick, outer crescent kick, and sweep kick.

Kiba Ranger leapt forward and somersaulted through the air. He landed while swinging his palms down like claws, slashing across Tabigarasu's body and knocking him backward, sending him tumbling across the ground.

The other two Rangers regrouped around the White Ranger. "Kiba Ranger," Tenma Ranger said. "Not bad for the newest Ranger on the block."

Byakko laughed, speaking for the White Ranger. "I do try."

The other Rangers arrived at the scene on their Thunder Cycles. The Rangers hopped off their bikes and regrouped with the others as the Gorma pulled himself to his feet..

"This guy doesn't look so tough," Dragon Ranger said.

"We've seen worse," Kirin Ranger said.

The Gorma's body rippled into his monster form. His head and upper body resembled a radio-style microphone. The villain pulled pipe bombs from his belt and started pelting the Rangers with the bombs.

Pipe bombs exploded against the Rangers' armor with bursts of sparks that sent them flying backward.

"This is ridiculous," Lion Ranger said as the team climbed to its feet.

A flat bomb that stuck to Kiba Ranger like a sticker slapped across his chest armor. The bomb exploded, knocking him upward with a violent explosion. The blast forcibly demorphed Kou and tossed him into nearby tree branches.

Kou's morpher and tiger saber dropped as Kou hung from a branch by his backpack. "Kimberly! Help me down!"

The Rangers looked up, their bodies frozen in shock. Phoenix Ranger shook her head. "Kou…" Phoenix Ranger said as she stared up at him. "You…?"

"He's the Kiba Ranger?!" Tenma Ranger said.

"Get me down!" Kou yelled.

Tabigarasu snapped his fishing rod forward, lashing out with a line and hook that snagged Kou by the shirt. The Gorma pulled Kou through the air and snapped the boy towards the distance. Kou and the monster blinked out of sight.

"Kou!" Phoenix Ranger shouted.

* * *

Rocky slammed Kou's morpher and Byakko down on Kaku's meditation platform and leaned forward to talk to his sensei. "I can't believe it!" Rocky said. "Why didn't he tell us?!"

"He couldn't!" Byakko said. The teens each took a step back in shock as they stared down at the talking saber. "His identity had to remain guarded! Otherwise…the Gorma would find him."

"You can talk?" Tommy asked.

"Fascinating," Billy said.

"I am Byakkoshinken," he said. "I was chosen to assist the Kiba Ranger!"

Light in the lair suddenly dimmed as a gust of wind carried a voice towards the corner. The light flickered again as a ghostly image appeared sitting on her knees. It was Kou's mother.

"Byakko…" she said while looking at the saber.

"Who…?" Tommy started to ask her.

"That," Byakko said. "Is Kou's mother."

Her image flickered as she keeled over in pain. "You must find my son…and he must find me…it's imperative that he finds me before his 11th birthday."

"Why then?" Kimberly asked.

She shook her head. "Because Kou is half Gorma…that evil energy burns inside of him, and on his birthday, not even the tiger brand I placed on his arm will be able to contain that energy…"

"Why did you leave him in the first place?" Rocky asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"Rocky…" Tommy said as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I had to...After I gave birth to Kou, I fled from the Gorma, as far as I could. Then, years later, the power within Kou started to flare. I knew that the Gorma sensed it and would investigate, but he was too young to be permanently sealed, so I used the tiger brand as a temporary solution and fled, in hopes of keeping the Gorma away from Kou. I also instilled within him a desire to find me so that I could rid the evil from him forever. But…the Gorma found me first."

She flinched in pain again. "You must save my son. He must find me!"

Her image vanished.

* * *

The teens walked out of the Nexus subway station that sat on the city streets above their lair. "Half Gorma?" Rocky asked as he shook his head. "How do we know that that whole speel was real?"

"Sensei seemed to think so," Tommy said. "And it matches what we already knew."

"Which was not a whole lot," Rocky said.

"Why his 11th birthday?" Adam asked.

"The Gorma say the age 11 is the closest to hell," Billy said.

Kimberly shook her head, her gaze distant. "We have to find Kou."

A blur of motion flipped through the air over the teens and landed on a small roof nearby. The teens snapped into fighting stances, but dropped their guard when they saw who it was.

"You let your guard down, Dairanger," the man said.

"Uncle!" Kimberly called. It was Gohun.

* * *

Kou and the captured children were in a rock quarry in China. The Four Deva Kings battered against drums, forcing the kids to dig with the beat. Their bodies were dirty and drenched with sweat. The sound of the drums forced them to dig with shovels and pitches.

The four ancients whispered incantations as they slammed the drums faster. A group of Kyonshi stood guard around the kids.

The Gorma Triumvirate stood on a small cliff and watched the kids dig. "Work faster!" Zydos shouted down to them.

One of the girls collapsed, too tired to work anymore. A Kyonshi moved towards her with a whip in hand. Kou narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw at the sight. "Stop!" he shouted as he pounced forward and slammed against the Kyonshi, knocking the soldier aside.

Kou lifted a shovel to beat against the Kyonshi, but a hand grabbed the shovel and pushed Kou aside. It was Shadam. Shadam lifted Kou by the shirt.

"Learn some respect," Shadam said. Then he recognized Kou. "You know the Rangers. You must know…who is the Kiba Ranger…"

Kou spit in Shadam's face.

Shadam slapped the back of his hand across Kou's face, knocking the boy to the ground. Shadam turned and faced Tabigarasu. "You," he said to the Gorma fisher. "I need more."

* * *

Kimberly returned to her apartment with the other rangers and her uncle Gohun. Her uncle set a large cardboard box onto the kitchen table and started to pry it open.

"What are you doing here?" Kimberly asked.

"I brought you a gift," he said as he took various metal parts from the box. "Some assembly is required…it's the Kiryoku Bazooka."

"Bazooka?" Tommy said as he held up a part.

"Yes," Gohun said. "It can be powered with your five Thunder Gems...or all seven…"

"Seven?" Kimberly asked. "There's only six."

"No," Gohun said as he started to fit some pieces together. "There is a seventh…but it's unlike the others."

"How so?" Billy asked.

The uncle held up his hands. "It's a little…bigger." He chuckled.

Billy knitted his brow. His mind flashed back to the crystal Kameo had found. "Could it be…." Billy said quietly as he ran off.

* * *

Billy ran down the street towards Kameo's apartment. He ran up the stairwell to the floor where Kameo lived. He entered the main corridor and moved over to Kameo's room. The ranger burst into the door.

Billy saw Kameo huddled in a corner with a blanket wrapped around him. He was staring down at the crystal on the ground with eyes wide open with fear.

"Kameo…what's wrong? Kameo!" Billy asked as he crouched down next to the older teen.

Kameo shook his head. "That crystal…it changed me…"

* * *

More children at the park were being snagged by the Gorma monster's fishing line. The villain stalked through the park with the fishing rod slung over his shoulder.

"You!" Tommy shouted as he, Adam, Rocky, and Kimberly arrived at the scene and snapped into fighting stances. "You have five seconds to tell us where you've taken all those kids."

The monster tilted his head as he looked at the Rangers with amusement. "Or what?"

"Or things will get very ugly…it's morphin time!"

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" the four shouted. They connected their braces as energy shimmered around them and they morphed into their armor.

* * *

"How could you have lost it?" Billy asked Kameo as they rummaged through some tall grass.

"It turned me into a turtle," Kameo said. "I threw it out."

The green, flashing gem had wrapped Kameo with a shell of energy. When the energy faded, Kameo had transformed. Into a turtle. The transformation had lasted for more than 12 hours.

Billy communicator toned. Tommy's voice came through. "Billy, we could use your help, pal."

* * *

The Rangers charged forward to attack.

The Gorma used its rod-like a whip to lash the Red Ranger across the chest. Lion Ranger snapped a roundkick that the Gorma blocked before smacking the Green Ranger across the helmet with the rod. Tenma Ranger launched forward with a flying crescent kick that the monster ducked under. The villain rose back to his feet and slashed Phoenix Ranger across the chest.

The Rangers regrouped and kept their stances low as they faced off with the monster.

Kirin Ranger leapt onto the scene.

"Thunder Staffs!" Dragon Ranger shouted as the five Rangers charged forward to attack.

Tabigarasu snapped a fishing line and snagged the rods from the Rangers' hand.

"Hey!" Dragon Ranger shouted as the monster laughed.

The Rangers rolled to the side and reached for their sidearms. "Thunder Blasters!" they shouted and aimed their weapons forward.

The Gorma snagged the blasters away too.

"Star Blades!" they shouted and armed their ring-shaped weapons.

The Gorma struck faster than the Rangers could attack. The villain snapped a rod line that snagged the weapons from the Rangers' hands.

"That's pretty much it for our weapons," Tenma Ranger said.

"Let's bomb him!" Dragon Ranger said.

The Rangers lifted their hands into the air and gathered spheres of blue energy between their palms. "Bomber…set…Kiryoku…Bomber!" They hurled the spheres forward. The energy blasts combined into a single rolling sphere of golden energy that shot towards the villain.

The Gorma used its rod to deflect the blast back at the Rangers. The energy sphere exploded against the Rangers' chests and knocked them backward.

* * *

Kameo kept wading through the tall grass. He spotted the crystal through the corner of his eye. "There it is!"

Kameo reached forward and grabbed the crystal. Green energy pulsed from the gem and into his body as soon as he touched it. The energy entered his every pore and shrank him while transforming him. Into a turtle.

* * *

The kids kept digging in the rock quarry as the ancients pounded their drums. Kou wiped sweat from his forehead and slammed his pitchfork against the ground again. The blow knocked loose a stone.

A stream of mist suddenly erupted. The kids jumped back, some of them screaming.

The Gorma Triumvirate shoved past the kids and walked towards the steam. Their eyes opened wide with excitement. Shadam thrust his hand into the fog. Lines of pale blue energy danced around his hand as soon as it entered the fog.

"This is it," Shadam said.

"Back to work!" Zydos shouted at the children. "Faster!"

The kids kept digging.

* * *

The Rangers rose to their knees as the monster laughed at them. "I'm surprised you five have lasted as long against the Gorma as you have."

The villain pulled another pipe bomb from his belt and tossed the device forward.

"That's it," Dragon Ranger said as he caught the bomb and leapt towards the creature.

Dragon Ranger landed behind the villain and wrapped his arms around the Gorma while holding the bomb to the villain's chest. The bomb exploded with a violent blast that knocked the monster and Red Ranger backward.

"Tommy!" Phoenix Ranger called out as she ran to his side.

The monster rose back to its feet and unsheathed a thin sword. Phoenix Ranger turned to face the villain. She placed her fist against her palm as the Phoenix eyes on her helmet flashed with blue energy.

"Heaven Wind Star! Whirl-wind destruction!" she shouted as she extended her hand forward. She shot a twirling gust of pink energy from her palm that exploded against the creature while blowing him off his feet.

The villain slowly stumbled back up off the ground before blinking away.

* * *

The teens limped into Kimberly's apartment. Gohun was slowly building the bazooka on the kitchen table. He chuckled when he saw the rangers walk in. "You look like you all have had fun," he said jokingly as he cracked his neck.

"How's that weapon coming?" Tommy asked.

Gohun sighed. "It's in about as good of shape as you five." He chuckled and cracked his neck again.

Rocky crossed his arms over his chest. "Even I have the decency to stop joking at times like this. Well…at least most times."

Kimberly sat on the coach and rubbed here eyes. Tommy sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"I'm worried about Kou…if something happens to him…I'll never forgive myself…"

"We'll find him…" Tommy said. He pulled Kimberly close and kissed her on the forehead.

Billy headed towards the apartment door.

"Where are you going?" Adam asked.

"The seventh Thunder Gem," Billy said. "There's this guy I know, Kameo, and I'm almost 100 percent sure he has it. I need to find him."

Adam nodded. "Be careful."

* * *

"What's going on?" Kameo asked as he crawled around in his turtle form. "This is madness!"

Billy ran across the field of grass while searching for his friend. "Kameo!"

"Billy!" Kameo yelled, but he could not be heard. Kameo tried to crawl over to the teen but accidentally flipped onto his back. "Ah…help, help!"

* * *

The four ancients continued to drum and whisper incantations as the children dug into the ground. Steam started shooting from various cracks and crevices. The Gorma triumvirate laughed as they walked through the steam.

"Faster!" Zydos yelled.

The ancients started to beat the drum faster. Their incantations grew louder. Their voices urged the kids to work faster. Harder. Each kid was out of breath. Each was aching with fatigue, including Kou.

The young ranger clenched his jaw. He let the pain and fatigue fuel his anger. His pitchfork suddenly struck a metal plate. The plate had strange, intricate symbols engraved on it.

Zydos heard the sound and pushed Kou away. "This is it!" Zydos yelled.

"Move!" Shadam shouted as he forced the kids out of the way. He fired orange electric blasts onto the plate, causing the ground to explode and energy streams to rise up.

* * *

The teens were back in the lair with their sensei. The wave of power from the rock quarry reached them even there. One of the green hovering spheres in the lair exploded, causing a series of sparking explosions to rip around the room.

* * *

"Are you alright?" Tommy asked Kaku as he helped his sensei to his feet.

"This can only mean one thing," Kaku said as he stared at the sphere. "The Gorma are trying to open one of the gates to hell."

"Huh?" Rocky asked.

Kaku nodded. "In China, the Gorma originally established the gate in order to try and unleash the demons from within. It gave them great powers…and it must have taken extreme labor to uncover the gates."

"All those kids…" Tommy said. "Do you think…?"

"Yes," Kaku said. "And I am sure Kou is with them. You must take your Kidenjuu to the gates. I will guide you to the exact location through our Kiryoku."

Tommy nodded. "Alright…let's get going."

The teens ran out as Byakko shouted to them. "Aren't you forgetting something!"

Tommy kneeled over and picked up the saber. "Sorry," he said as he ran off with Byakko.

* * *

The teens ran to the rocky shore looking out upon the ocean. They armed their wrist braces.

"It's morphin' time!" Tommy shouted.

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted. They connected their braces. Energy flashed around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

They unsheathed their swords and held the blades towards the air while grasping their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The five zords appeared in the distance. The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling hooks to reel themselves onto their zords. The Thunderzords sped off over the ocean.

* * *

Kou and the others were tied to tall posts above the rock quarry. Kou glared down at the Gorma Triumvirate below. "If you're through, let us go!"

"No!" Shadam yelled. "The Rangers are coming…you will make good distractions."

The kids saw the Thunderzords approach in the far-off distance. A smile crossed Kou's face. "Kimberly…"

The Triumvirate turned to face the zords. "Rangers…" Shadam cursed. The three Gorma placed their hands in front of their faces and blinked out of site.

A giant, ghostly image of Shadam's face suddenly appeared above Red Dragon. Shadam blew a gust of wind that exploded against Dragon Ranger's armor and knocked him off the zord.

One by one, ghostly images of Gara and Zydos flicked the other four Rangers off of their zords. The Rangers went falling downward and crashed against the ground below.

Kou shouted down to them. "Rangers! Get us down!"

"Kou!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he and the others starting running up along the quarry wall. The Gorma Triumvirate appeared in front of the Rangers in the blink of an eye.

"You won't be saving anyone today," Shadam said as he placed his hand in front of his face. The villain crackled with energy as a thin sheet of metal armor wrapped around his skin.

Shadam expanded, growing giant. The villain looked down at the Rangers and extended his palm, launching a fiery energy blast that exploded against the ground, igniting a massive sphere of flame that slammed against the Rangers and knocked them backward.

Dragon Ranger slowly rose to his feet and raised his Thunder Sword towards the skies. "Red Dragon!"

Red Dragon swooped downward towards its tamer. Dragon Ranger used his Thunder Blaster like a grappling hook to reel himself onto his zord. Red Ranger hopped into the cockpit embedded within the zord's armor.

"Red Dragon, rise up!" Dragon Ranger shouted. Red Dragon crackled with tendrils of crimson energy and assumed his humanoid warrior form. The zord landed and faced off with Shadam.

Shadam armed his bony sword and charged forward to attack. The villain swung forward while slicing Dragon Ranger across the chest. The villain turned and slashed twice in an x-shaped pattern, his blade sparking against the zord's armor upon impact.

Red Dragon was forced a few steps back but still managed to pounce forward and attack. The zord swung a kick towards Shadam that slammed against the villain's side. Shadam grabbed the zord's leg, lifted Red Dragon from the ground while hurling him backward and tossed him through the air.

Red Dragon crashed against the ground and slid backward while tearing through rock and dirt.

Below, Zydos and Gara launched tendrils of energy that snaked around the other four Rangers and burst across their chests with a violent series of sparks and explosions.

Meanwhile, Shadam extended his hands and created a field of energy daggers that struck against Red Dragon, sparking across the zord's armor.

Below, Gara and Zydos extended their hands and launched fiery blue energy pulses that exploded against the Rangers' armor and knocked them backward. The two Gorma stalked towards the fallen Rangers.

"Come on, guys," Lion Ranger said as he and the others climbed back to their feet. "We have to keep fighting."

Kirin Ranger spotted their weapons in the distance. "Look," he said to the others as he pointed to the weapon pile.

Lion Ranger leapt forward through the air and somersaulted towards the weapons. Gara extended her hand and emitted an energy lasso that wrapped around the Green Ranger's leg. The Gorma snapped Lion Ranger backward and slammed him back against the ground.

"Adam!" Tenma Ranger shouted as he and the others ran to their friend's side. They helped the Green Ranger to his feet.

Zydos extended his hand towards the sky. His palm pulsed with blue energy as a black cloud formed above. Lightning struck down from the cloud and exploded around the four Rangers with massive blasts of rolling flame.

Above, Shadam charged towards Red Dragon with his sword held high.

"You won't win that easily!" Dragon Ranger shouted as his zord twirled a black staff into a fighting position.

Red Dragon spun forward, slamming his staff upside Shadam's chest, sending the villain stumbling backward. Red Dragon dashed forward and slammed a pole-vault kick against the villain's chest. Shadam went flying backward.

Dragon Ranger turned his zord back towards the hell gate. "It's time to shut that gate down for business. Go, Red Dragon!"

Red Dragon whirled his staff like a helicopter blade. The staff created a torrent of wind that picked up rubble and boulders, covering the hell gate with a sheet of stone and dirt.

The Gorma Triumvirate blinked away.

"That's a shame," Tenma Ranger said as he and the others rose to their feet. "I had them right where I wanted them."

Dragon Ranger leapt downward and joined his teammates on the ground. The five Rangers dashed forward towards their weapons. But the Gorma monster Tabigarasu appeared and blocked the Rangers' path.

The monster tossed a handful of pipe bombs towards the Rangers. The Rangers leapt forward, grabbed the bombs, and tossed them right back at the Gorma monster. The bombs exploded against the villain and knocked him backward.

The Gorma crashed backward and rolled back into a crouched position while arming his fishing rod. Tabigarasu snapped off a hooked line that slashed across the Rangers' armor like a whip, sparking on impact. The Rangers crashed backward.

"I'm over it!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he rose to his feet with Byakko in hand. "Byakko, do your thing!"

"Ha!" Byakko shouted as Dragon Ranger hurled the saber forward. The tiger saber speared against the monster, sparking on impact, knocking the villain backward.

With the Gorma out of the way, the Rangers ran over to their staffs and blades.

* * *

Gohun wiped his hands across his shirt. "Finally…"

The massive bazooka was shaped like the head of a dragon. Gohun used his Kiryoku to hover the weapon above the table. The bazooka transformed into a streak of blue energy that shot into the distance.

* * *

The bazooka materialized above the Rangers as they stood in formation. The bazooka slowly lowered. Lion Ranger, Tenma Ranger, Kirin Ranger, and Phoenix Ranger stood on the sides of the weapon. They inserted their Star Cutters into the bazooka's casing to hold the weapon.

Dragon Ranger kneeled and held the large barrel over his shoulder. "Our Thunder Gems," Dragon Ranger said.

"Right," Phoenix Ranger said as she loaded each of the Rangers' gems.

The bazooka whined with energy as the Rangers aimed forward.

"Kiryoku Bazooka," Dragon Ranger said. "Fire!" the bazooka nearly blasted itself out of the Rangers' hands as it fired a massive discharge of energy. The energy blast streaked forward, a comet of power as it exploded through the Gorma, incinerating the villain with a massive explosion of spark and flame.

* * *

The teens returned to their normal forms and freed the children. Kou wrapped his arms around Kimberly, and she hugged him back.

"Thank you," he said as he pulled away and looked to each of the rangers.

"So you're the mighty Kiba Ranger, huh?" Rocky said as he tasseled Kou's hair. "You sure had us surprised."

Kou grinned with pride.

"I have an old friend of yours here," Tommy said as he walked over to Kou and handed Byakko to the boy.

"Byakko!" Kou said as he grasped his saber.

"Kou!" the saber exclaimed. "You idiot….you've gotten me all choked up."

Kimberly's gaze drifted to the tiger tattoo on Kou's arm. A worried look crossed her face as she remembered the words of Kou's mother.

"_Kou is half Gorma…that evil energy burns inside of him, and on his birthday, not even the tiger brand I placed on his arm will be able to contain that energy…"_

* * *

The crystal flashed, and Kameo returned to his human form. He tried to run away from the crystal, but it followed him while hovering through the air.

* * *

Hours later, back at the gates, the Gorma Emperor floated down towards the rock-covered gate itself. The white-robed emperor hovered on a thin slab of concrete. He leaned forward and pulled out a small fishing rod.

The emperor slowly cast a line that slithered around the rocks and boulders covering the gates. The line pierced through the gates, crossing dimensional boundaries, into the fiery pits below.

A hand reached up and grabbed the wire.

**To be continued…**


	18. Kameo's True Form

**Kameo's True Form**

The Four Deva Kings sat deep within the Gorma palace. They surrounded a strange white mask and whispered incantations. The mask's eyes started to glow with deep crimson light that illuminated the dark chambers.

* * *

Kameo ducked into an alley as he fled from the floating crystal. He ran forward, nearly tripping over his own chubby legs, but the gem still pursued.

The older teen took another sharp turn into an adjacent alleyway and smashed his way through a wooden door. He slumped down in a corner and tried to catch his breath. He could not remember ever running so hard in his entire life.

He saw no sign of pursuit.

"Finally," he said between breaths.

The gem dropped into his lap. "Ah!" he shouted as the chase continued.

Kameo eventually made it back to his apartment complex, although the gem was still at his heels. Panting, he turned a corner to enter his hallway and crashed against Billy. The two teens fell to the floor.

"Kameo," Billy said, surprised to have bumped into his friend. Billy had been searching for Kameo for more than two days.

"Billy!" Kameo said as he grabbed Billy's arm and dragged the ranger into the apartment room. "Help me, help me."

"Kameo calm down," Billy said. "That crystal. We need…"

Kameo was far past panicked as he started closing his windows. Billy tried to calm his friend down, but it was no use.

"Kameo!" Billy shouted.

The gem crashed through a window, shattering glass before hovering above Kameo and Billy. The gem pulsed with jade-tinted energy. Light from the crystal enveloped Kameo and shrank him into a small turtle.

Billy knitted his brow with curiosity and leaned down towards the turtle. "And I thought I had seen everything."

The crystal flashed with energy again. A pulse of light slammed against the turtle and skid the reptile across the floor. The turtle crashed against a wall and expanded as Kameo assumed his human form again.

Kameo immediately sprang to his feet and fled from his apartment, running as fast a possible.

Billy wrinkled his brow and followed. "What is going on…?"

* * *

Kameo ran across a strip of parkland that cut between various apartment complexes. He kept looking over his shoulder, spotting the gem as it gave pursuit.

A wooden staff suddenly dropped to the ground in front of him. Kameo tripped over the staff and fell onto his belly. He looked up as the four Gorma ancients surrounded him. One of the ancients lifted Kameo by the collar of his shirt.

"Kameo!" Billy yelled as he ran towards the scene. What he saw was not promising. The four ancients were supposed to be dead. The MegaTigerzord had used its Phoenix blade weapon to destroy the ancients when they were in their combined, four-headed monster form.

One of the ancients turned and glared at Billy. The villain opened his mouth and blew a stream of white smog that shot against Billy, sending him flying off his feet.

Billy twisted in midair, slammed his heel against a tree to gain footing, and bounced back towards the four Gorma as he armed his braces. "Chakra ignite!" Energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his yellow-armored Ranger form.

"Thunder Sword!" Kirin Ranger shouted as he unsheathed his blade and angled his descent towards the ancient who was holding Kameo.

A second ancient stepped forward and used his staff to parry the Ranger's sword. That ancient spun forward and bashed his staff across the Yellow Ranger's head.

Kirin Ranger was knocked backward but stayed on his feet while spinning back into a fighting stance. "Let him go!" Kirin Ranger shouted. "He doesn't have what you want."

The Yellow Ranger heard a voice from behind him. It was Shadam. "Drop your weapon, Kirin Ranger."

Kirin Ranger turned to face the villain. "Shadam," he said as he snapped into another fighting stance.

"Do it," Shadam said firmly. "Or he dies."

Kirin Ranger narrowed his eyes beneath his helmet. He slowly lowered his arm and tossed his sword aside.

Yellow Ranger suddenly snapped around to face the ancient holding Kameo. "Star Cutter!" He unsheathed his dagger and snapped it forward like a dart. The dagger speared the villain in the chest, sparking on impact, and knocking the Gorma backward.

Kameo crashed to the ground.

Kirin Ranger charged towards his friends. The four ancients stood in front of his path with their staffs ready, but the Yellow Ranger did not slow his advance.

Two ancients swung their staffs towards the Yellow Ranger. Kirin Ranger dove over their blows and landed against the ground, somersaulting forward and springing back to his feet while kicking the other two ancients aside.

An ancient spun backward while swinging the end of its staff towards Kirin Ranger. The Yellow Ranger blocked the blow and slapped the staff away. Kirin Ranger snapped a roundkick that the Gorma blocked.

The other three ancients extended their hands and fired pulses of energy that exploded against the Yellow Ranger's armor with a burst of spark that sent him crashing backward. The ancients used their staffs to lift Kirin Ranger from the ground and press him back-first against a tree.

Shadam stalked towards the Ranger while carrying the white mask the ancients had enchanted.

Kirin Ranger struggled to break free, but the ancients' hold was too strong. Their staffs nearly snapped his neck with pressure.

Shadam reached forward and slowly fit the mask over Kirin Ranger's faceplate. The Ranger's armor powered down with a flash of yellow energy as the mask clung onto Billy's face. Billy screamed as the mask's eyes started to glow red and radiate with energy.

The mask's power felt like grinding drills and hot needles boring into his brain.

The ancients released their grasp as Billy collapsed to the ground. His screams muffled by the mask, he tried to rip it off as he tossed and turned.

The other four teens arrived at the scene after receiving a call from Kaku through their communicators. "Billy!" Tommy shouted as they ran towards their friend.

"You're too late," Shadam said as he stood in front of the ancients. "That mask is driving your friend to madness…and there is no way for you to stop it."

Billy charged towards the teens and started to attack with wild, frantic movements. The teens tried to hold him down without hurting him.

Shadam laughed at the sight as he and the four ancients blinked away.

* * *

Billy was tied up to a pole in the lair as Kaku watched the teen struggle. The other rangers stood behind their sensei. "I thought this mask to be destroyed," Kaku said.

"What is it?" Tommy asked.

"It was once worn by an ancient Gorma warrior. Its power drove him to madness. They say his spirit still resides inside the mask," Kaku said.

"We've got to get it off," Rocky said. He and Adam stepped closer to Billy to try and pry the mask off their friend's face.

"Stop," Kaku said, but it was too late.

Adam and Rocky touched the mask. A bolt of energy surged forth and slammed against the two teens, sending them flying backward and crashing against the wall before crumbling to the floor.

The two teens slowly pulled themselves back to their feet.

Kaku explained to them the power they would need to get the mask off Billy. They would need the power of all seven Thunder Gems.

* * *

The Gorma Emperor laughed, his voice cackling with insanity, as he continued to reel in his catch from the pits of hell. The fishing line was slowly pulling up from the gate. Akomaru's hand was wrapped around the line.

"Faster!" Faster!" the boy shouted as slender black arms clawed and grabbed at his legs to try and pull him back down.

The boy was finally pulled above the claws' reach.

* * *

Kameo leaned forward on his knees. Kimberly and Gohun stood over him. In the meantime, Kou kept jumping up and trying to grab the hovering gem. They were on a concrete boardwalk where the bustling city met the ocean.

"What's going on?" Kameo asked as he struggled to catch his breath.

Gohun leaned down next Kameo. "I am not surprised you have forgotten. You are the super Kidenjuu…Daimugen."

"Kidenjuu?" Kameo asked. He did not understand a word. "Daimugen?"

Gohun nodded. "After the war ended between the Gorma and the Dai 6,000 years ago, you assumed a human form. Since then…your memory of that war has been lost."

Kameo whimpered and shook his head. "It can't be true…I'm only 20!" Kameo rose to the ground and frantically grabbed Kimberly by the shoulders. "It can't be true!"

Kimberly's communicator toned. Tommy's voice came through. "Kim, Billy's gotten away…we need your help."

"I'm on my way," Kimberly said as she ran off.

"Billy…" Kameo said as he wondered what the fate of his friend would be. Kameo felt responsible for Billy's getting masked by the Gorma in the first place.

Kameo stood, jumped up, and grabbed the gem.

* * *

Billy ran up the fire escape along the side of a building as the other teens followed. Tommy, Kimberly, Adam, and Rocky chased him all the way to the roof and stopped in their tracks at what they saw.

The Four Deva Kings were standing on top of the roof's concrete entrance with a group of Kyonshi standing on the roof below. The grunts had their staffs aimed forward. The ancients slowly whispered an incantation.

"Not you freaks again!" Rocky shouted.

The teens armed their morphers. "Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" They connected their braces as energy shimmered around them and they morphed into their Ranger forms.

The Kyonshi charged forward to attack.

The four Rangers wasted no time slamming through the group of soldiers. Tenma Ranger rolled into a crouched position and snapped his leg up against a soldier's gut. Blue Ranger used his footing to flip the soldier backward.

Lion Ranger used his forearm to block a grunt's staff strike and stepped forward while slamming a backfist blow across that grunt's head.

Dragon Ranger slapped a grunt's staff away and slammed a spin kick across the soldier's head, knocking the grunt backward while crushing its skull.

Phoenix Ranger backflipped while kicking a soldier upside the head, snapping the grunt's neck.

Billy suddenly pounced forward, his maddening cries muffled by the mask as he reached for Dragon Ranger's throat. The Red Ranger grabbed his friend's arms as Billy continued to spasm, his every movement frantic.

Nearby, Kameo, Gohun, and Kou ran onto the roof. Kameo opened his eyes wide with shock as he saw Billy try to claw at the Red Ranger's throat. "Billy!"

Billy snapped his head towards Kameo. The ranger twisted his arms free and leapt forward, slamming a flying sidekick against Kameo that knocked the older teen onto his tailbone.

Billy sprang forward to attack Kameo again, but Dragon Ranger grabbed the masked ranger by the arms and held him back. "Come on, pal…fight it…" Dragon Ranger said. "You never let me go off the deep end, I'll be damned if I let the same thing happen to you…"

Billy's screams became more frantic. The ranger tried to rip his mask off.

"Billy…" Dragon Ranger said, keeping his voice calm. "Give me your Thunder Gem…"

For just a second, Billy managed to reach his trembling hand forward and extend his yellow Thunder Gem. Dragon Ranger took the gem. Billy immediately started flailing about again, his maddening cries growing louder.

Nearby, Phoenix Ranger flipped a soldier over her shoulder before she looked back to Kou. "Kou," she said. "It's morphin time."

"Right," Kou said as he stood proudly. It was the first time he was morphing in front of the other Rangers. "Chakra ignite…Kiba Power!"

Kou inserted his key into his wrist brace as energy shimmered around him. White armor wrapped around his body as his muscles matured. The tiger coin symbol stamped onto his chest as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Kiba Ranger pounced forward like a tiger to attack. The White Ranger slammed a jumpkick upside a soldier's head and clawed the grunt across the face. Another soldier swung his staff towards the White Ranger. Kiba Ranger unsheathed Byakko and parried the blow before slashing upward with a strike that sparked across the grunt's chest.

Tenma Ranger and Lion Ranger rolled into crouched positions on the other end of the roof and armed their blasters. "Thunder Blasters!" they shouted as they fired lances of blue and green energy that exploded against the grunts with burst of sparks.

The five Rangers regrouped near Kameo and Gohun. "Dairanger," Gohun said. "Ready your Thunder Gems."

The five Rangers extended their hands. Dragon Ranger held his crystal along with Billy's gem.

"Now, the Kiryoku Bazooka," Gohun said.

The bazooka materialized above the Rangers as they stood in formation. The bazooka slowly lowered. Lion Ranger, Tenma Ranger, Kiba Ranger and Phoenix Ranger stood on the sides of the weapon. They inserted their Star Cutters into the bazooka's casing to hold the weapon.

Dragon Ranger kneeled and held the large barrel over his shoulder. He aimed the weapon towards Billy. "Thunder Gems," Dragon Ranger said.

"Right," Phoenix Ranger said as she loaded each of the Rangers' gems.

The bazooka whined with energy as the Rangers aimed forward.

Gohun looked to Kameo. "Now…use the power of your gem along with the weapon…and form the Super Kiryoku Bazooka."

Kameo extended the gem. Lines of energy snaked from the gem and wrapped around the weapon, highlighting its outlines with deep green energy.

"Kiryoku Bazooka," Dragon Ranger said. "Fire!" The bazooka nearly blasted itself out of the Rangers' hands as it fired a massive discharge of energy. The energy blast streaked forward, a comet of power as it exploded against Billy's mask.

The mask absorbed the energy from the explosion and shattered from Billy's face as the teen collapsed to the ground.

"Billy!" Kameo shouted as he ran towards his friend.

Billy slowly rose back to his feet as his vision blurred back into focus and his mind calmed. "Kameo…guys…"

The four ancients slammed the ends of their staffs against the rooftop, sparking energy within their weapons and their bodies. The villains stood with their backs towards each other. Energy flashed around them as they merged into one Gorma monster.

The monster was a tall creature with four identical heads, each looking in a different compass direction. The monster's skin was pale, and his eyes beady red. The villain's name was Gattai Shitenno.

The villain lifted an enlarging bomb and dropped it. The bomb exploded, and Gattai Shitenno absorbed the energy and grew giant.

"Billy," Dragon Ranger said. "It's morphin time."

Billy nodded as he glared up at the villain. "I have a score to settle with that four-headed monstrosity."

Billy armed his morphers. "Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

The six Rangers held their blades into the air while grasping their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The five main Thunderzords appeared, charging over the landscape. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

The White Tiger Thunderzord stomped forward as Kiba Ranger leapt into his zord's cockpit.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma.

"White Tiger! Rise up!" he shouted, inserting his saber into his console. The White Tiger crackled with energy and started to change shape. The zord transformed into a humanoid-shaped warrior, the head of the tiger was on the zord's chest, and the golden tail formed a curved blade.

Gattai Shitenno extended his staff and fired tendrils of energy that exploded against Red Dragon and White Tiger, sparks ripping across the zords' armor upon impact.

"Kou," Dragon Ranger said. "Combine with the others!"

The White Ranger thrust his hands forward. "Kiba! Fusion!"

The Lion, Tenma, Kirin, and Phoenix crackled with energy and shot towards the White Tiger. The lion formed shoulder armor while wrapping around the zord's back. The Tenma and Kirin formed the Megazord's legs as the Phoenix became an arm-mounted weapon.

Lion Ranger, Phoenix Ranger, Tenma Ranger, and Kirin Ranger joined Kiba Ranger in the zord's cockpit. "MegaTigerzord… Kiba Daiou!"

Red Dragon dashed forward and swung his staff across the villain's chest, the golden tip of the staff sparking upon impact.

"MegaTigerzord!" the other Rangers shouted. "Grand-Phoenix Crash!"

The Phoenix extended its wings and shot towards the monster. Fiery energy twisted around the Phoenix as it streaked towards the villain.

But Gattai Shitenno used his staff to bat the energized Phoenix away, sending the zord blade back towards the MegaTigerzord and Red Dragon. The Phoenix blade exploded against the two zords with a massive explosion, sending them crashing backward and skidding across the city streets.

The shockwave tore part of the streets up below. Kameo was knocked onto his tailbone as his gem fell from his pocket. He slowly lifted the crystal as he remembered what Gohun had told him.

Kameo stood and glared up at the monster. "Super Kidenjuu!" he shouted. "Daimugen!"

He clasped his hands over the crystal. Green light bled from the crystal and enveloped him as he shrunk into a turtle. But this time his body immediately started to expand and form a massive zord. Bulky green armor wrapped around Daimugen, the carrier zord.

"Leave them alone!" Daimugen shouted in a deep, booming voice filled with the power and authority that Kameo had always lacked. After living as a human for so long, Daimugen had gained a level of sentience beyond the other zords.

Daimugen opened fire with mystical blasters mounted on the sides of his armored shell. Pulses of green energy shot forth and exploded against the Gorma with a massive burst of sparks.

Gattai Shitenno ran through the sparks and charged towards Daimugen. The Gorma kicked the zord upside the head, and Daimugen flipped onto its back.

"Not again!" the carrier zord shouted as he struggled to get back to his four feet.

Red Dragon stepped over and helped the zord turn upright.

The monster suddenly leapt through the air and slashed Red Dragon twice across the chest, explosions sparking as the staff tore across armor. The Gorma launched an energy pulse from the staff at near point-blank range that exploded against Red Dragon and sent the zord flying backward.

Red Dragon crashed through a building and landed in the rubble.

"Tommy!" Daimugen shouted.

"Could you say my name louder? I don't think they heard you in Crossworld City!" Dragon Ranger said as he willed his zord to stand.

The monster stalked towards Daimugen.

"Rise up!" Daimugen shouted. The zord tilted upward into warrior formation.

His front legs extended forward like hands. Barrels extended from the zord's hands like fingers. The zord opened fire with rapid volleys of green energy lances that exploded against the Gorma monster, keeping the villain back.

"Dragon Ranger!" Daimugen shouted as the top part of his shell opened, revealing an empty chamber. "Inside!"

Red Dragon leapt into the chamber. The shell sealed the zord inside. Daimugen funneled energy into Red Dragon to help the zord heal.

The Gorma fired swirling pulses of energy at Daimugen. The energy blasts exploded harmlessly against the zord's shell with bursts of spark. "Not so easy now, is it?" Daimugen asked.

Inside the shell, Red Dragon's energy reached full. "Alright!" Dragon Ranger yelled. "Let's go, Red Dragon!"

Red Dragon energized and leapt from the shell. Dragon Ranger placed his hand over his control sphere. "Ultra Thunder! Star Fusion!"

The Lion, Tenma, Kirin, and Phoenix formed a chariot that hovered through the skies. Red Dragon twirled his staff like a helicopter propeller to fly upward and land on the chariot.

White Tiger assumed his beast form and slid into the shell of Daimugen. The carrier zord returned to his four-legged form as the Thunder Chariot landed on top of the shell.

"UltraThunderzord!" the Rangers shouted as they joined in Dragon Ranger's cockpit.

Red Dragon spun its staff like a propeller as the Ultrazord hovered in midair. Red Dragon then swung his staff downward, but kept the staff spinning.

"UltraThunderzord! Lightning Wave!" the Rangers shouted.

A torrent of rushing white energy blasted from the staff as the carrier zord fired massive pulse blasts from its side-mounted cannons and jaw. The wave of energy splashed around the monster, ripping off its skin and vaporizing the villain. Not a single ash remained.

* * *

Back at the sealed hell gate, Akomaru climbed from the rubble. The emperor smiled down at the boy. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Akomaru."

**To be continued…**


	19. Through the Eyes of Family

**Through the Eyes of Family**

**ROCKY**

Mitch hated family time. The thought of being around his extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins sickened the 15-year-old. He would rather stay at home and read a good book or play on his computer.

He walked along the city streets with his cousin, Rocky DeSantos, who did not know how to shut up. At all.

Mitch and Rocky had gotten along okay when they were younger. But now Rocky was nothing but a smart ass. A slacker without a job, direction, or purpose. The selfish bastard could not even pick his cousin up from the station on time like he was supposed to.

* * *

_**Hours earlier**_

Tenma Ranger was trapped inside a Gorma monster. The villain wore tattered brown robes. His peeling skin was black and scarred. He had the Gorma third eye, but a slash-mark scar had it sealed. Various patches of skin were torn along his lower chest and gut, revealing a cage of thin rusty bars. His name was Torikago Furaibo, the Bird-cage Vagabond.

The Blue Ranger was trapped in a pocket dimension within the cage.

Dragon Ranger alone battled the Gorma. The Red Ranger spun forward with a reverse sidekick that slammed against the villain's chest, knocking him onto the ground. Dragon Ranger held his Thunder Sword down towards the villain.

"Release Rocky," Dragon Ranger said. "Now."

"Or what?" Torikago taunted. "You kill me, you kill your blue friend."

Dragon Ranger moved his blade closer to the villain's neck. "Rocky would rather die than spend the rest of his life rotting inside of you. Last chance."

Dragon Ranger pressed his blade hard against the villain's neck, hoping the Gorma would not call his bluff.

The villain started to shudder. A burst of blue light shot forth as Tenma Ranger teleported out of the creature within a streak of light.

Tenma Ranger keeled over in pain. The villain's pocket dimension had drained him. Dragon Ranger kneeled down next to his friend and helped him back to his feet.

The villain pounced forward and swung his sword downward. The Blue Ranger pushed Dragon Ranger out of the way and took the blow across his chest for his leader.

Dragon Ranger rolled into a crouched position and armed his ringed Star Blade. He hurled the blade forward, and it slashed across the villain while passing him by.

The Red Ranger looked to his teammate. "Let's hit him together."

Tenma Ranger nodded. "You got it, Tommy."

The Rangers snapped into fighting stances, placing their fists against their palms as the dragon and Pegasus eyes on their helmets flashed with power.

"Heaven Fire Star…"

"Heaven Gravity Star…"

Together, they shouted. "Fire Tremor Destruction!" They thrust their hands forward and produced crackling waves of flame and gravity power. The waves combined into a single roaring stream of energy that shot through the monster and exploded.

* * *

**ADAM**

Detective Park and his partner stood on either side of the apartment's wooden door. They had their guns raised. Park nodded to his partner. The partner turned and kicked in the door as Park and the other officer moved in.

"On the ground, now!" Park shouted.

Four crack dealers panicked and rose to their feet, some of them reaching for weapons. Park pounced forward and slammed the end of his pistol against a dealer's neck.

A second dealer pulled an automatic weapon, now legal and easy to purchase, and opened fire. The weapon gunned down Park's partner.

"No!" Park shouted. He triggered three shots that knocked the dealer backward.

* * *

Detective Park returned to his home after a long day. He sat down at his kitchen table and slowly removed his jacket. His partner of 20 years was gone. He should have been able to stop it, he told himself. He was getting sloppy.

The door creaked open, and Adam walked in. It was half past 10 p.m.

"I hope for your sake you were at the library," Park said.

Adam kept walking towards his room and said nothing. Silence had become his new method of defiance during the past few months, Park thought. Adam had changed. He rarely even read fantasy novels anymore.

Park rolled his hands into fists. He had failed as a father, he told himself. His own son just waltzes in after being who knows where and does not say a word. Adam could be on drugs. Or who knows what.

No, Park told himself as he stood and started walking towards Adam. He lost a partner. He was not about to lose a son too. "Just a second, young man. Where were you?"

Adam stopped, but did not turn to face his Dad. "I was out."

"Out where?" Park asked firmly.

"Exactly where I told mom I'd be," Adam snapped. "Did you ever stop and think that maybe I called her and told her I'd be late?"

Adam stormed back into his room.

Park stood still. He had failed as a father. He had failed Adam, he told himself, just like he had failed his partner. Who knew what trouble the teenager was into, all because of his father, Park thought.

* * *

_**Hours earlier**_

The Gorma had a hostage. The lean, muscular villain's skin was like brown cactus, covered with short spikes. The Gorma had a single eye on his forehead, above a jaw that split into three segments.

The villain's name was Saboten Shogun, General Cactus. He had his left arm wrapped around a girl's neck and his right hand against her head. He could have snapped her neck with ease. The girl's face was covered with a white mask.

"Your armor," the villain said. "Deactivate it."

Lion Ranger rolled his hands up into fists. A hostage was involved. He had to do what the villain said and try to gain control of the situation in a subtle way.

The teens powered down their armor and returned to their normal guises.

"Just let her go," Adam said. "She doesn't have anything to do with this."

"She does now," the villain said as he ran a tongue along the girl's cheek.

"Typical Gorma," Adam said. "Hiding behind an innocent girl."

The villain narrowed his eye. Saboten tossed the girl aside and fired a volley of darts from his chest. The rangers rolled for cover and armed their morphers.

"Aura Power!" they shouted as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

The Rangers rolled into crouched positions. "Thunder Blasters!" They fired lances of energy that exploded against the villain and knocked him backward.

Lion Ranger leapt forward and lifted the girl from the ground before jumping to safety. Her face was still frozen with fear. The cactus Gorma launched a volley of darts that spiked through the Green Ranger's armor, each needle sticking halfway into his skin.

Lion Ranger collapsed in pain.

Kirin Ranger and Phoenix Ranger armed their Thunder Staffs and leapt forward towards the monster. They speared their staffs against the villain, knocking him backward.

Tenma Ranger spun forward to attack next. A Star Blade in each hand, he passed by the monster while slashing both blades across the villain's side.

Dragon Ranger slammed a jump kick upside the villain's head and spun forward with a reverse sidekick, slamming his heel against the monster's chest.

Meanwhile Lion Ranger slowly rose to his feet despite the pain. He clenched his jaw and tightened his every muscle. The needles popped out of his armor. The Green Ranger snapped around to face the Gorma monster.

"Lion Staff!" he shouted as he twirled the staff into a fighting position and leapt forward.

Lion Ranger cracked the staff down against the villain's collar bone while landing. He spun forward, bashing the left end of his staff across the villain's head. Lion Ranger looped the staff back around, crashing the weapon against the back of the villain's neck.

The Rangers regrouped. "Kiryoku Bazooka!"

The bazooka materialized above the Rangers as they stood in formation. The bazooka slowly lowered. Lion Ranger, Tenma Ranger, Kirin Ranger, and Phoenix Ranger stood on the sides of the weapon. They inserted their Star Cutters into the bazooka's casing to hold the weapon.

Phoenix Ranger loaded each of the Rangers' gems into the cannon.

The bazooka whined with energy as the Rangers aimed forward.

"Kiryoku Bazooka," Dragon Ranger said. "Fire!" the bazooka nearly blasted itself out of the Rangers' hands as it fired a massive discharge of energy. The energy blast streaked forward, a comet of power as it exploded through the Gorma, incinerating the villain with a massive explosion of spark and flame.

**To be continued…**


	20. Spider Fist

**Spider Fist**

Jinn stood on a rocky shore and faced off with a martial arts master. The assassin was dressed in his white suit and had a black glove over his left hand. The master wore a black karate gi.

The sensei narrowed his eyes at Jinn. "You dare to challenge me?"

Jinn merely nodded. He lifted his left arm. "_Oniken henge._"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across Jinn's body as he transformed. Red and black leather armor formed across his body and legs. His entire left arm covered with jagged metal.

The master opened his eyes wide with shock. Jinn lunged forward and slammed a punch against the man's chest.

* * *

The rangers sat on the ground with their sensei and watched a song and dance slowly move across the stage before them. They were part of an audience in a wooden theater inside Little Japan, a part of Angel Grove with structures, monuments, and landscaping that resembled feudal Japan.

The song was quiet, and the dance slow.

"Sensei," Tommy whispered. "I can't understand a word of this song."

"I think it's kind of catchy," Billy whispered.

"No," Kaku said. "It is a tale of sorrow."

Tommy sighed and continued to watch.

Rocky started to snore. A quick jab from Kimberly's elbow snapped him out of it. "Rocky, stay awake."

"Whu? Huh…oh…" he mumbled sheepishly as he blushed.

* * *

The master collapsed against the shore and screamed in pain. A black spider tattoo appeared on the man's chest. The tattoo slowly crawled up the man's body while overloading his pain receptors.

"Excellent," Jinn said. "I am now ready to face you again…Tommy."

* * *

Tommy and Adam walked across a dirt path through a grove of trees after the play. They were headed towards the shore to take the monorail, which swung around the entire perimeter of Angel Grove.

"I guess it was kind of interesting," Tommy said.

Adam nodded. "My old sensei Master Mao used to take me to those when I was a kid. It was shortly after I left the Ikkazuchi Way."

"You went to the Ikkazuchi Way?" Tommy asked. "I was a member of the Hayate Way." The two schools were bitter rivals dating back to their roots in Japan.

A master Jinn had attacked suddenly stumbled past a nearby bush and collapsed to the ground. Tommy and Adam rushed to his side and crouched down. They saw the spider tattoo crawl up to the man's throat and flash with dark energy. The man died with one final gasp of pain.

Tommy narrowed his eyes as he stared at the spider. The tattoo seemed familiar.

A small object suddenly whizzed through the air towards Tommy's face. He caught it and opened his palm to look. It was one of Jinn's coins.

"Jinn…" Tommy said.

Tommy and Adam rose to their feet as they saw Jinn step forward, dressed in his white suit.

"I've been waiting a long time for this," Jinn said.

"What did you do to him, Jinn?" Tommy asked.

"The same thing I'll do to you," Jinn said.

"Bastard," Adam said as he snapped into a fighting stance.

"No," Tommy said as he extended his hand to stop his friend. "This is my fight."

Jinn extended his arm forward. "_Oniken henge_." Crimson energy crackled around him as he transformed into his armor.

Tommy wrinkled his brow and readied his morpher. "Chakra ignite…" He connected his braces. Energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

The opponents snapped into fighting stances.

Dragon Ranger leapt forward to attack. Jinn reached back as his fist energized. "Spider Fist!" he slammed his punch against the Red Ranger's chest.

Dragon Ranger crashed backward onto the ground as he screamed in pain. He clutched his chest as his nervous system went into overload, feeling like the fires of the sun itself.

"Tommy!" Adam yelled as he ran to his friend's side. Jinn stepped backward into the shadows.

* * *

Tommy lied on a bed within the lair. He screamed as his body convulsed with pain. The teens tried to hold him down to keep him from hurting himself. Kaku watched with growing concern.

"What's wrong with him?" Rocky asked.

Adam lifted Tommy's shirt and saw the spider tattoo on his stomach. Adam's eyes opened wide as he remembered the spider symbol killing the master they had encountered earlier.

"That spider…" Adam said.

Kaku nodded. "That is what's killing him," Kaku said. "It will move to his throat…and then…"

Adam shook his head and rolled his hands into fists. Guilt overwhelmed him for letting Tommy fight alone. "No…no!" He turned and started to run off.

"Adam!" the others called.

Adam paused on his way out. "We have to find Jinn…he did this to him…"

Adam and the others ran off. The spider inched forward on Tommy's body. His screams filled the lair.

* * *

Jinn kneeled at his former master's grave and laid down a white flower. He bowed his head and folded his hands. His mind flashed back.

_Jinn was sparring with his sensei on top of a cliff. The young man was being beaten as his sensei yelled taunts. "Fight you whelp!" _

_The sensei, mad with insanity, pressed forward with a flurry of kicks that knocked Jinn over the cliff. The sensei reached forward and grabbed Jinn's left hand just in time to keep the student from plummeting towards the raging ocean shore below. _

"_I can't pull you up…let go.." the sensei said._

"_What…no!" Jinn shouted. _

"_Quit being a coward and let go! You are truly unworthy of my daughter."_

_Jinn frantically tried to climb back up his sensei's arm. "Pull me up! Sensei! Sensei!"_

"_Fine," the sensei said. He pulled out a knife and jammed the blade through Jinn's left wrist, cutting his student's hand off, and watching him plummet towards the shore below. _

Jinn stood and punched his metal fist through the gravestone, pulverizing it into pieces like a wrecking ball. "The past is finally over now...I have no weaknesses…"

"Jinn!" Adam shouted as he and the others ran to the scene.

"Bastard!" Rocky yelled. The four rangers snapped into fighting stances.

"What did you do to Tommy?!" Kimberly asked.

"Ah," Jinn said as he smiled. "You must be the rest of his team…be careful what you say, or Tommy's fate will be yours."

"Let's shut this guy up!" Rocky shouted as he and the others jumped through the air to attack.

"Chakra ignite!" they shouted. They connected their braces, and energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

"_Oniken henge_," Jinn said quietly to key his own transformation. The assassin leapt forward through the air.

Jinn past the Rangers in a blur of motion, slamming punches and kicks against each of them to knock them from the air. The Rangers crashed onto the ground of the graveyard as Jinn landed on his feet.

Lion Ranger pounced forward and swung a cross punch towards Jinn. Jinn caught the punch and slammed a round kick against the Green Ranger's side, knocking the Ranger backward.

Tenma Ranger spun forward with a spinning heel kick. Jinn grabbed the Blue Ranger by the leg and spun him off his feet. The assassin sent Tenma Ranger crashing through a nearby gravestone and tumbling across the ground.

Jinn slammed the back of his fist across the Yellow Ranger's helmet and pounced forward, bashing an uppercut against Phoenix Ranger's chest.

The Rangers regrouped on the ground. Tenma Ranger slowly crawled towards Jinn. "Jinn…tell us how to save Tommy or else…"

Jinn kicked Tenma Ranger upside the head. Tenma Ranger landed on his stomach. Jinn placed his heel on the back of the Blue Ranger's neck and pressed downward. "You amuse me, making those kinds of threats when you cannot even stand. Tommy will die, and there is nothing anyone can do to change that."

Jinn kicked Tenma Ranger away. The Blue Ranger rolled across the ground before rising into a crouched stance as the others regrouped around him.

Nearby, hidden behind a line of trees, Zydos stood alongside a Gorma warrior in monster form. The monster's skin was covered in slick-black armor. His name was Ozutsu Gunso, Sergeant Cannon. His head extended forward, forming an organic cannon just above his Gorma eye.

The Gorma fired a burst of energy from his head cannon that exploded against all four Rangers, knocking them backward and sending them crashing through tombstones.

Jinn leapt over towards Zydos and the monster.

Lion Ranger and the other three Rangers rose to their feet. The Green Ranger grasped his injured shoulder. "Let's get back to the lair."

Jinn walked towards Zydos with his hands rolled into fists. "What are you doing? I had them."

"Know your place, Jinn," Zydos said.

"No," Jinn said. "You know yours. I am not your pawn. I will win honor on my own. Never interfere again."

Jinn turned and walked away.

"Don't talk to him like that!" the monster shouted as he readied his weapon to fire.

Zydos held his arm out to stop the villain. "Wait…now is not the time. He is still useful to the Gorma, whether he knows it or not."

* * *

Less than an hour later, Tommy awoke in a cold sweat. He breathed heavily, but his screaming had stopped. He was getting used to the pain.

The other teens moved to his side. They put on their bravest faces. Rocky and Tommy clasped hands. "Hang in there, Tommy," Rocky said. "You can fight this…you're too stubborn to let Jinn win."

Tommy nodded. "You got that right," he said weakly.

Kimberly ran her hand along his arm. "We're here for you."

Tommy nodded as he leaned back. "Did you find him?"

Rocky sighed. "No…but we'll keep looking. He won't be able to stop the four of us."

"You just get your rest," Kimberly said.

* * *

The four teens left the room and entered the stairwell. They slumped over in pain the second they shut the door.

"He nearly killed us," Billy said. "In only a few seconds."

Rocky nodded. "That's putting it mildly."

"Let's get back out," Adam said. "There has to be a way to stop what's happening to Tommy…and Jinn will know."

They slowly ascended the stairwell, their muscles aching with every step. Kaku stepped out from the shadows and watched them leave. He heard Tommy start screaming again. The spider inched further over his chest, hovering above his heart.

Kaku stepped inside. "Tommy," he said firmly. "Find your balance…you have the power to beat this…I will not let you die…"

* * *

_Tommy's mind was on fire. Pain. The heat burned him and chilled him to the bone. The light blinded him and shrouded him in darkness. Pain. Hot needles driving through his head._ _He was going to die. _

_He had failed. Failed his friends. Failed Zordon. Kaku. Shannon._

_The pain intensified. Where was Jason? He'd know what to do? Zordon. The pain moved. Shifted. A wound. Twisting the wound. Ripping it open and unleashing a floodgate._ _His mind was storm. _

* * *

The teens left a dojo in Little Japan. "Are we looking in the right places?" Rocky asked.

Adam nodded. "Jinn will be around here somewhere…all of his victims have been from this area."

The doors to a dojo behind them slid open. A man dressed in a brown robe and mask stepped forward. He pulled a small fan out from behind his back. He swung the fan in a single swipe and knocked the four rangers backward.

The man removed his disguise. It was Jinn.

Jinn laughed at them. "Back on your feet already?"

The teens snapped into fighting stances.

* * *

Kaku and an old Japanese man named Ayuma stood over Tommy. Tommy tried his best to bite back his pain. Tommy narrowed his eyes at Ayuma. "What the hell are you talking about?" Tommy looked to Kaku. "Where did you dig this guy up from?"

"He is a great healer," Kaku said.

Ayuma nodded. "But in this case…you must heal yourself…you must battle your terrors and balance your soul in this moment of great extremity."

"Sensei…" Tommy said as he shook his head. "I don't understand."

Kaku explained. "The spider you bare causes you great pain…but it is your own fear that will kill you if you do not conquer it."

"How?" Tommy asked, shivering.

"Balance your soul," Kaku said. "Separate yourself from your physical sensations and find peace."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Tommy asked.

"Try without trying," he said. "Do without doing."

Tommy nodded as he sat up. He then noticed blood on his hand. "What…" His mind flashed back to when Rocky had grasped his hand. "He lied. Jinn hurt them…and they're going back after him…guys!"

Tommy stumbled out of bed and ran for the room's exit while clenching his jaw with pain.

* * *

Lion Ranger crashed onto the ground next to his teammates. He looked up as an armored Jinn stalked towards him. Their battle had moved to a warehouse in the wilderness just outside of city boundaries.

"You're too late anyway," Jinn said as he stalked towards them. "Tommy is surely dead by now."

"No way!" Tenma Ranger yelled.

Jinn nodded. "I don't know why it upsets you so. He died honorably."

"Damn you!" Lion Ranger said as he and the others unsheathed their swords and charged towards Jinn.

Jinn gathered a sphere of crimson energy in his hands and tossed it at the Rangers. The blast exploded against their armor and knocked them backward. They tumbled across the ground as they were forcibly demorphed.

The four teens slowly rose to their feet. Kimberly narrowed her eyes at the assassin. "You're nothing but a coward," Kimberly said. "Like a wounded animal."

Jinn wrinkled his brow and charged towards the teens while screaming a battle cry.

Then as if from nowhere, Tommy pounced forward and tackled against Jinn. The two opponents crashed against the ground and rolled backward.

Tommy and Jinn slowly rose back to their feet and faced each other.

"Bastard," Jinn said.

"Tommy!" the others called for him.

Tommy said nothing. He clutched his chest, burning with pain, as he bit back his screams of agony.

"It's already over," Jinn said. "I've won."

"You underestimated me once before," Tommy said. "It almost got you killed."

Nearby, concealed by tall grass, Zydos and Sergeant Cannon watched the battle unfold. Zydos looked to the monster. "Kill the winner."

Jinn thrust his hand forward. "Spider Bite!" Strands of webbing lashed out and surrounded Tommy as he struggled to escape.

Jinn swung his fist towards Tommy's chest. Tommy closed his eyes tight and prepared for the finishing blow. His mind seemed to flash back to what Kaku had told him about conquering his fears and finding balance.

_In his mind's eye, Tommy envisioned himself at a wide crevice stretching over a bottomless drop. Tommy was walking along a thin strand of rope that stretched across the cavern. _

_His teammates were at the other end of the wire. They were calling his name and extending their hands. They needed him. If Tommy fell, he would fail them. He could not let that happened. _

_He took another step forward. And another. He kept his balance as he moved closer to his friends. His own fears threatened to cripple him, but he kept moving despite the pain. Tommy reached forward and grabbed his friends' hands. _

Tommy snapped open his eyes and caught Jinn's punch. "I told you not to underestimate me…"

Tommy knocked Jinn's fist away and spun forward with a reverse sidekick that slammed against the assassin's chest. Jinn stumbled backward as Tommy snapped into a fighting stance.

The spider tattoo on his chest vanished.

Jinn rose back to his feet. "Impossible."

The teens joined together.

"Guys," Tommy said. "It's morphin' time!"

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted as they connected their braces. Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

Together, they shouted. "Power of the Stars, brought down! Heaven Star Task Force, Power Rangers!"

Lion Ranger, Tenma Ranger, Kirin Ranger, and Phoenix Ranger stood in a circle and interlaced their Thunder Staffs. Dragon Ranger somersaulted forward through the air and bounced off the staffs before leaping towards Jinn.

Jinn pounced into the air with a flying sidekick. The opponents' kicks slammed against each other as they passed by. Jinn back flipped back to the ground as Dragon Ranger flipped onto an overhang.

The Red Ranger snapped into a fighting stance while looking down at Jinn.

Jinn extended his metal hand and fired a crimson energy snake. The snake exploded beneath Dragon Ranger as he leapt forward off the overhang. The Red Ranger extended his hand down towards the assassin while descending.

"Fire Stream!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

A spiral of flame shot from the Red Ranger's palm and exploded against Jinn, knocking the assassin backward.

Dragon Ranger landed on the ground and sprang forward to attack. The Red Ranger snapped a knifehand blow that Jinn blocked, and a roundkick that Jinn blocked.

"Burn Knuckle!" Dragon Ranger shouted as his fist energized with fiery power and slammed against Jinn's chest, forcing the assassin down to his knees.

Nearby, Zydos looked to the monster. "Now."

Sergeant Cannon set its sights on Dragon Ranger. The Gorma opened fire with a volley of powerful concussion blasts that streaked towards the Red Ranger's head and chest.

Jinn watched the blasts streaking towards his opponent. Jinn sprang to his feet and pushed Dragon Ranger out of the way. Cannon blasts exploded across Jinn's chest, smashing through armor, skin, muscle, and bone while knocking the assassin off his feet.

"Jinn!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he ran over to the assassin.

"Stay back!" Jinn shouted.

"Why did you…" Dragon Ranger started to say.

"You deserved…a more honorable death than that," Jinn said as his eyes closed and he went limp on the ground.

"Rangers!" Sergeant Cannon shouted as he ran forward with an enlargement bomb in his hand. The villain tossed the bomb to the ground and used the energy from its explosion to grow giant.

The Rangers regrouped below and unsheathed their Thunder Swords while holding their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The five main Thunderzords appeared, charging over the landscape. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma.

The White Tigerzord ran to the scene. Kiba Ranger was within his zord's cockpit with Byakko in hand. "Guys!" Kiba Ranger shouted. "Sorry I'm late."

The cannon Gorma opened fire with a volley of projectiles that exploded against the zords.

"White Tiger! Rise up!" he shouted, inserting his saber into his console. The White Tiger crackled with energy and started to change shape. The zord transformed into a humanoid-shaped warrior. The head of the tiger was on the zord's chest, and the golden tail formed a curved blade.

The White Ranger thrust his hands forward. "Kiba! Fusion!"

The Lion, Tenma, Kirin, and Phoenix crackled with energy and shot towards the White Tiger. The Lion formed shoulder armor while wrapping around the zord's back. The Tenma and Kirin formed the Megazord's legs as the Phoenix became an arm-mounted weapon.

Lion Ranger, Phoenix Ranger, Tenma Ranger, and Kirin Ranger joined Kiba Ranger in the zord's cockpit. "MegaTigerzord… Kiba Daiou!"

Sergeant Cannon launched another volley of missiles that the Megazord walked through as explosions sparked across its armor.

"MegaTigerzord!" the other Rangers shouted. "Grand-Phoenix Crash!"

The Phoenix extended its wings and shot towards the monster. Fiery energy twisted around the Phoenix as it streaked towards the monster. The Phoenix pierced through the monster with a violent explosion. Sergeant Cannon was consumed by flame as he exploded into nothing more than ash.

* * *

Zydos walked through the mountains while carrying Jinn over his shoulder. "You're not out of this game yet," Zydos said. He laughed and continued walking.

* * *

Tommy and Simon Kaden sparred at Bear Lake. Tommy recently taught his young student a new series of moves and kicking combinations. Simon had adapted them almost perfectly. The boy was a quick learner.

Then Tommy saw someone watching through the corner of his eye. It was the strange man Tommy first met after he lost his Green Ranger powers. Tommy did not know the man's name but referred to him as the Dark Man because of his long black jacket and black hair.

"Simon," Tommy said. "Head over to the lake. I'll meet you there in a minute."

Simon turned his head and looked towards the Dark Man. "Is he a Gorma?"

"I don't think so," Tommy said. "Now go."

Simon sighed and walked off.

The Dark Man slowly walked towards Tommy. A smile was on the Dark Man's face as he watched Simon walk off. "He'll make a great Ranger someday."

"Simon?" Tommy asked. "He's just a kid."

"For now," the man said. "However, the future of your young friend isn't what I came here to talk to you about."

"What is it?" Tommy asked.

"I came to congratulate you on your latest victory over Jinn. You're already one of the most powerful warriors in this universe, and you've only just begun to explore your potential."

Tommy shook his head. "I doubt that."

The Dark Man laughed. "No you don't…and the truth is…you want that. You want to be the perfect warrior. That's why you were so fascinated with Jinn. In a way, he is who you want to be."

Tommy narrowed his brow at the Dark Man.

"Now," the man said. "I'll let you get back to training your little hawk. Farewell."

**To be continued…**


	21. Kujaku Nears the End

**Kujaku Nears the End**

A man went hiking through the tree-filled hills outside of Angel Grove. He was a frequent visitor of the hills. He enjoyed the fresh air and cool breeze. The atmosphere helped him clear his mind of the corporate hassles of his life.

The man lost his footing and stumbled down a hill. He tumbled to a stop and slammed against a nearby tree. He rose to his feet in pain.

A rainbow-colored energy flashed above him. The energy was shaped like a bird. The bird launched a spike of energy that pierced the man and started to drain his life force. The man expelled his last breath with a scream of agony.

* * *

The five teens were eating at an outdoor café at Angel's Square, a bustling part of Angel Grove North that put New York's Times Square to shame. A television news broadcast was shown on a large television monitor across the street.

"I'm telling ya," Rocky said to the others, "girls are not as understanding as they make themselves out to be."

"Rocky," Tommy said with a grin. "You stood her up three times in a row."

Rocky shrugged. "I had to save the world. And I can't so much tell her that."

"That was the reason each time?" Kimberly asked.

Rocky shrugged. "Well…not exactly."

"Hey," Billy said. His eyes were fixed to the monitor across the street. "Check out the news."

The news was showing a report about a rash of assaults in the hills. Amateur video caught the energy bird on tape. The rangers recognized the sight immediately.

"It can't be," Adam said. "She wouldn't…"

"Kujaku," Tommy said.

Adam shook his head while running from the table.

* * *

A Gorma in monster form sat in a cave while whispering an incantation. He wore a red and white body suit. Half his head was made of a gem-like substance that almost appeared like the inside of a kaleidoscope. The other half of his face was skull and bone, looking as if the gem substance had been torn off his skull.

Gara stepped from the shadows. "Did it work?"

The Gorma named Mangekyo Hakushaku, Count Kaleidoscope, nodded. "Kujaku has been lured into the open."

Gara smiled wickedly.

* * *

Kujaku walked through the wooded hills with her daggers in hand. She sensed the Gorma watching her. She felt their evil.

A group of roots sprang from the ground and lashed towards Kujaku like living vines. She snapped her daggers out and slashed across two of the vines. But three more vines wrapped around her and started dragging her across the ground.

As if from nowhere, Adam leapt forward and grabbed Kujaku. He used her daggers to cut her free before helping her to her feet.

Kujaku took her daggers back and ran towards higher ground as Adam followed. They stopped at a clearing. Kujaku sensed that danger had passed and returned her daggers to their holsters.

Kujaku and Adam met stares and stood silently for a moment.

"Are you alright?" Adam asked her.

Kujaku shook her head.

She didn't have to say a word. Adam knew. He could see it in her eyes. Kujaku was dying.

* * *

The other teens joined Adam and Kujaku near a creek that ran through the wooded hills. They had questioned her at length about the news report, much to Adam's frustration.

"It was a set up," Kujaku explained. "Gara knew exactly how to get my attention."

"Ours too," Adam said. "I thought that you were…" he shook his head. He couldn't stand the thought of Kujaku killing innocents.

Kujaku reached forward and took Adam's hand in hers to comfort him. "The only thing that can save me is the Tears of the Peacock. Draining others' life energies wouldn't work."

"What if it did?" Tommy asked with skepticism.

Kujaku remained silent.

* * *

The Gorma monster continued to whisper his incantation. He had the ability to project certain illusions that became reality. He was the one who was stealing the life force from innocents to lure out Kujaku.

Back in Angel Grove, beneath the city streets, Kaku sensed the villain's presence. He snapped his eyes open. "Mangekyo…"

* * *

The teens walked through the woods. They kept their eyes open for any sign of the Gorma. "Whatever attacked those people couldn't have gone far," Billy said.

The teens triggered a hidden trap laid by the Gorma. The trap triggered a volley of spears that shot towards the teens. The rangers and Kujaku dove for cover and rolled across the ground to dodge the weapons.

A massive explosion suddenly tore through the trees with a rolling wave of fire, creating a powerful shockwave that slammed against the teens and sent them flying off their feet. The rangers and Kujaku landed in a tall field of grass nearby. They slowly rose to their feet and looked up to see Gara glaring at them.

"Gara!" Kujaku shouted as she unsheathed her daggers.

Gara extended her fencing-type saber. "Kyonshi!"

A group of the black-clad soldiers appeared and charged forward to attack the rangers.

"It's morphin time!" Tommy shouted.

"Chakra ignite!" The teens connected their braces. Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

"Thunder Staff!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he armed his red staff and moved forward to attack.

The Red Ranger bashed the end of his staff against an approaching soldier's chest. Dragon Ranger spun forward while smashing that soldier across the back of the head.

Seven more grunts charged towards the Red Ranger. He leapt forward while spinning and used his staff to bat three of the soldiers away while kicking the other four down in a single move.

Ten soldiers surrounded Lion Ranger.

The Green Ranger slammed a jump roundkick against a soldier's head, bashing in its skull. He reached back and slammed his elbow against a soldier that had tried to sneak up behind him. The Green Ranger snapped a jump kick upside another soldier's head.

A Kyonshi swung his staff towards Kirin Ranger's head. The Yellow Ranger grabbed the staff to block it and slammed a high roundkick against the grunt's head.

Phoenix Ranger slammed a palm-heel strike upside a grunt's head. She spun forward with a reverse axe kick that crashed against the villain's collar bone.

Tenma Ranger slammed a spinning heel kick across a soldier's face and followed with a sweep kick that knocked the legs out from beneath a second soldier.

Nearby, Kujaku and Gara circled around each other. Gara dashed forward and swung her blade towards Kujaku's head. Kujaku used her daggers to slap the sword away and swung her blades at the Gorma's neck.

Gara sidestepped the strike and slashed her blade upward across Kujaku's chest, blade sparking on impact and sending the warrior crashing to the ground.

Through the corner of his visor, Lion Ranger saw Kujaku fall.

Gara extended her hand and launched a volley of blue energy spheres from her palm that streaked towards Kujaku. The Green Ranger leapt forward and stood in front of Kujaku, spreading his arms to protect her as the blasts exploded against his armor with a volley of sparks.

"Why do you protect such an emotionless and cold hearted creature," Gara asked. The villain stepped back and teleported away, blinking out of sight.

* * *

Night came. All of the rangers returned to their homes, except for Adam. He decided to stay in the hills with Kujaku. Someone needed to keep watch to make sure the Gorma monster did not harm any more innocents in the area, Adam had told his friends.

But he just wanted to be with her.

Kujaku and Adam sat around a small camp fire. "Kujaku…" Adam said. "Why does Gara hate you so much?"

"The scar on her face…" Kujaku said. "When we were both very young, Gara and I were very close. Both members of the Dai tribe. Then one day while we were walking through the market, a building collapsed near us. Gara pushed me out of the way, but was seriously injured as a result…that's what the scar is from. She lost part of her hearing from head injuries, and she never regained full use of her legs. From that day on she isolated herself from everyone. I felt…guilty.

"The only way I could think of to help her was to find the Tears of the Peacock. Legend said the Tears belonged to Mahamayuri Vidyaraja, the Buddha who's animal symbol was the peacock. The Tears have the most potent healing powers and can prevent even death. The best way to obtain the tears was for me to become his servant. So I dedicated myself to training for many years in order to become his servant and find the Tears.

"By the time my training was over, the Gorma had already begun their attack, and Gara was one of them. I was forced into the middle of their war. I never found the Tears."

"These are the same Tears that could save you?" Adam asked.

Kujaku nodded.

"We'll help you find them," Adam said as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

* * *

The teens and Kujaku regrouped the next morning. They moved from the hills into the mountains. Kujaku sensed that the Gorma were close. And she was right.

A bolt of lightning suddenly streaked down from the sky and exploded against the ground with a shockwave that hurled the teens and Kujaku off their feet. They crashed against the ground and tumbled backward.

One of Kujaku's armored feathers fell from her back and turned gray as she limped over in pain.

"Kujaku!" Adam shouted as he ran towards her side and started to help her up.

Kujaku pushed him aside. She hated being seen in such a pathetic state. "Leave me."

"No," Adam said.

Another bolt of lightning crashed down against the mountainside. An avalanche slid downward and caused the ground to tremble. The rangers lost their balance and collapsed as countless boulders started to slam against the ground around them.

Adam squinted his eyes and shielded his face as debris showered across the ground.

An invisible wave of energy pulsed forward against the boulders and sent them scrambling back up the hill and out of harm's way.

The teens slowly rose to their feet. Kujaku was nowhere in sight.

"What the hell was that?" Rocky asked.

Footsteps slowly walked across the dirt behind them. They turned to see Master Kaku walk towards them.

"Sensei?" Tommy said.

"You have fallen into a Gorma trap," he said. "The Tears Kujaku is seeking are not the real Tears. They are a decoy set by Gara. They will kill her."

Adam just noticed Kujaku was missing. He scanned the area frantically. "Kujaku!"

* * *

Kujaku slowly limped through an underground cavern. She had sensed the Tears and was immediately captivated by them. She leaned against the cavern wall for support as she moved forward.

She spotted the Tears out in the open. The Tears were egg-shaped and made of long flower-like petals. She slowly picked them up.

"The Tears…after all this time." She moved towards the Tears.

"No!" Adam shouted as he ran forward through the shadows. He backhand slapped the Tears from her hands. "Those aren't real."

The Tears crashed to the ground and shattered, revealing itself to be a skull. A snake crawled through its empty eye socket.

"Adam!" Tommy shouted as he and the others ran to their friend.

The teens regrouped as Adam rolled his hands into fists. "Come out!" Adam shouted. "This game is over."

Count Kaleidoscope stepped forward from the shadows. "But we've been having so much fun."

The villain extended his fist and tightened his muscles. The cavern started to shake as rubble fell from the ceiling.

"Come on, guys," Tommy said. His team stood in formation and placed their right fists against their left palms as they closed their eyes and focused their Kiryoku.

The rangers used their powers to stop the trembling cavern's vibrations and turn those vibrations back against the Gorma. Energy exploded around the villain and blasted him upward, sending him crashing back down on the surface near a rocky shore.

The teens leapt up through the opening along with Kujaku and landed on the surface as the Gorma monster slowly rose back to his feet.

Gara appeared on a nearby cliff and glared down at the group.

Kujaku unsheathed her daggers and turned to face the villain. "Gara!"

Adam stepped forward in front of Kujaku. She was injured, and Adam did not want to see her get hurt. "Gara…is all this worth it…over a stupid scar?"

"It's more than that you fool," Gara answered. "Because of that scar, I was imperfect. No one would have anything to do with me…not even the girl whom I considered a sister. You ran off, Kujaku, for years, leaving me alone at the mercy of my peers' cruelty. For that I will never forgive you."

"Gara…" Kujaku said in a rare attempt to reason with the Gorma.

"No!" Gara shouted. She extended her hand and launched spheres of blue fire from her palms. The spheres exploded around the teens as they rolled for cover.

The rangers rolled back to their feet and armed their braces.

"It's morphin time!" Tommy shouted.

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" they shouted as they connected their braces. Shells of bright energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

Dragon Ranger snapped into a fighting stance as the team faced the Gorma monster. "It's time to take care of business."

The Rangers armed their red Thunder Staffs and leapt into battle.

Dragon Ranger and Tenma Ranger somersaulted forward through midair and landed while spearing the tips of their weapons against the villain.

Phoenix Ranger and Kirin Ranger spun forward next while swinging their weapons horizontally and bashing across the villain's head.

Lion Ranger leapt downward towards the monster and armed a Star Blade. The Green Ranger landed while slashing the villain downward across the chest. Lion Ranger swung the blade horizontally, but the villain unsheathed a double-edged sword and knocked the blow away.

The Gorma monster swung his blade towards the Green Ranger's neck. Lion Ranger ducked under the blow while spinning past the villain. Green Ranger rose to full height and slammed a roundhouse kick against the monster.

Lion Ranger swung his Star Blade horizontally towards the villain's body. The monster blocked the blow and swung a fist towards the Green Ranger's faceplate, but Lion Ranger caught the fist.

The two opponents went around in circles before Lion Ranger separated himself from the monster.

The Gorma fired an energy burst from his palm that exploded around Lion Ranger as he rolled across the ground for cover. The Green Ranger rolled into a crouched position and aimed his Star Blade towards the villain.

"Star Blade Assault!" he shouted. The blade pulsed with pale-green light and shot towards the villain in a streak of energy.

The blade slashed across the villain with a burst of spark. The monster crashed to the ground and tumbled backward. Smoke still rising from his chest, the monster rose back to his feet.

Lion Ranger held his palm against his fist as the lion eyes on his helmet flashed with blue power. "Heaven Illusion Star, Mist Concealment Destruction!"

The Green Ranger thrust his hand forward and launched a streak of fog. Darkness and fog surrounded the Gorma monster. The Gorma narrowed his eyes as the fog around him seemed to take shape. An illusion of Kujaku suddenly burst forward and exploded against the villain.

The monster blasted back into reality.

The Rangers regrouped and stood in formation. "Kiryoku Bazooka!"

The bazooka materialized above the Rangers as they stood in formation. The bazooka slowly lowered. Lion Ranger, Tenma Ranger, Kirin Ranger, and Phoenix Ranger stood on the sides of the weapon. They inserted their Star Cutters into the bazooka's casing to hold the weapon.

Phoenix Ranger loaded each of the Rangers' gems. The bazooka whined with energy as the Rangers aimed forward.

"Kiryoku Bazooka," Dragon Ranger said. "Fire!" The bazooka nearly blasted itself out of the Rangers' hands as it fired a massive discharge of energy. The energy blast streaked forward, a comet of power as it exploded through the Gorma, incinerating the villain with a massive explosion of spark and flame.

Energy from the explosion reassembled the villain and caused the monster to grow giant.

The Rangers unsheathed their Thunder Swords and lifted the blades into the air while holding their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The five Thunderzords appeared, charging over the landscape. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he called out. "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords started to change shape and reconfigure as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold and black helmet slid into place.

The Rangers joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

"MegaThunderzord Saber!" Dragon Ranger shouted. Dairenou unsheathed his curved blade.

The Gorma monster charged forward to attack while holding his double-edged sword forward.

"MegaThunderzord Saber," The Rangers shouted. "Lightning Slash!"

Dairenou's blade energized and chopped through the villain. The Gorma's broken body fell backward, his energy overloading and exploding as his remains were consumed by flame.

* * *

Kujaku had fallen to her knees near a creek. Adam ran to her side and helped her to her feet. "Kujaku!" Adam said. "You'll be okay. There's still time. We'll help you find the Tears."

Kujaku ran her fingers through Adam's hair. "Adam…I have to do this on my own."

Kujaku turned and walked off.

**To be continued…**


	22. Dragon of Death

**Dragon of Death**

Kameo had his telescope aimed out his window at night. He looked through the lens towards the stars as Kou and Billy stood behind him.

"I don't know, Kameo," Kou said as he shook his head. "You've been looking out that thing forever and haven't seen anything."

"Just a little longer," Kameo said as he zoomed his focus towards the moon.

Kou sighed and slumped his shoulders.

"Wait…what's that?" Kameo asked. "By the moon!"

Through the telescope, Kameo saw a large dragon-shaped shadow pass over the moon.

"It's probably just a shooting star," Billy said. He narrowed his eyes towards the moon but saw nothing.

* * *

The dragon was very real. Each claw of the massive, unstoppable beast was almost the size of a Megazord. The dragon twisted downward and flew through the Earth's upper atmosphere.

* * *

Kameo's gem flashed with bright green light. The gem sent a pulse of energy into Kameo that enveloped him and transformed him into a small turtle.

"I hate it when this happens," Kameo said in his turtle form.

"Kameo…" Billy said as he took a step back, not wanting to step on his friend.

Kameo returned to his human form with a pulse of light and crashed onto his tailbone. His eyes were fixed on the sky above, his face pale with fear. "It's coming!"

* * *

"Are you sure you didn't see anything?" Tommy asked as he and Billy walked by a fountain plaza near the center of Angel Grove.

"Yes," Billy said. "But I believe Kameo. He's very paranoid, but…I think he did see something. It's such a vague description, I haven't been able to find anything out about it from the texts Zordon left behind."

Tommy sighed. "A big dragon." He shook his head. "We'll have to talk to sensei about this one."

Tommy's communicator toned. He lifted his wrist and pressed the device's activation button. "This is Tommy…"

"Tommy…" It was Kimberly. She sounded panicked. "Get over here now. It's Kou…he…just get over here!"

"I'm on may way, Kim," Tommy said as he and Billy ran off towards Kimberly's apartment.

* * *

Tommy and Billy ran onto Kimberly's floor and saw her standing outside her own door. They dashed closer to her.

"Are you alright?" Tommy asked.

Kimberly shook her head. "I am, but Kou isn't. Something weird is going on in there."

Tommy turned towards the door and narrowed his eyes. He cracked the door open, and a gust of wind immediately pushed the three teens backward. Crimson light was flashing inside.

Tommy moved back towards the door when the wind stopped. He peaked inside and opened his eyes wide with shock.

Kou was unconscious, hovering in midair with his back flat facing the ground. The entire room was pulsing with crimson energy as lamps, telephones and appliances were hurled about by an unseen force. Tendrils of red energy occasionally thrashed out from Kou's body.

The tiger tattoo on Kou's arm was flashing blue, straining to contain the energy.

The force intensified, and invisible energy nearly forced the three teens backward through a wall. But they stood their ground and fought to keep the door open.

"Kou!" Kimberly shouted.

* * *

Rocky and Adam were at a small arcade near the Angel Grove University football stadium in Angel Grove North. The trip was Rocky's idea, and Adam followed reluctantly. Rocky was leaning onto a pinball machine, his eyes fixed on the game while he played.

"I think you're becoming addicted," Adam said.

"Oh, come on," Rocky said while keeping his eyes on his game. "How often do any of us get out anymore anyway?"

Rocky lost the game.

"Oh man," he said as he hunched over the machine in bitter defeat.

Adam rolled his eyes and patted his friend on the back.

A strange man dressed in a tuxedo walked over to them. The man leaned against the machine. "You give up too easy," the man said to Rocky.

"Because I asked for your opinion," Rocky said sarcastically.

The man patted the pin ball machine. Every machine in the room started spitting out quarters and tokens from its slots. Over-eager teenagers frantically started scooping the tokens, counting the hours of mind-numbing entertainment they would provide.

The stranger tossed a handful of metal pellets onto the ground that the kids tripped over before crashing to the ground. The stranger turned and started to walk away.

Rocky narrowed his eyes at the man. "Hey…" He and Adam both grabbed the man's shoulders to turn him around.

The stranger spun backward while slamming the back of his fist across the two teens' heads.

The man took a few steps backward away from the rangers as his skin started to ripple. He transformed into a Gorma monster. He wore white and light red garments covered by plates of armor that resembled pachinko machines in styling. A pastel bandana covered the top of his head. The bottom half of his face was pale white, and his mouth was full of fangs. His name was Pachinko Daimeijin.

"Can we ever get a day off?" Rocky said.

"I guess not," Adam said.

The villain hurled an invincible telekinetic burst into the room that started throwing gamers around, tossing them through the air. The villain used the disturbance as a distraction and ran outside.

Rocky and Adam followed. Adam activated his communicator. "Tommy, Billy, Kimberly…Gorma." he shouted.

* * *

Tommy and the others were still trying to force their way into Kimberly's apartment. Tommy answered into his communicator. "We're having problems of our own, Adam."

Another burst of energy knocked the teens backward.

* * *

"Get back here!" Rocky shouted as he and Adam chased the monster outside near the stadium.

The two rangers armed their morphers and leapt forward. "Chakra ignite!" Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

The two Rangers leapt over the monster while kicking down on its collar bone. The villain collapsed. Tenma Ranger and Lion Ranger turned to face the villain while they landed and snapped into fighting stances.

The Gorma monster tossed a handful of metal pellets at the Rangers. The pellets exploded against their chests with bursts of spark that knocked them off their feet.

Pachinko Daimeijin fired a thick lightning bolt that slammed against the Rangers and imprisoned them within a large sphere of iron.

"Okay," Tenma Ranger said. "This is just stupid."

The monster kicked the large pellet that contained the captured Rangers. The pellet slammed against several nearby buildings before cracking open and spilling the two Rangers back onto the ground.

"Well," the monster said. "It's been fun…but I have to go. Good bye, twerps!" The monster teleported away.

* * *

Sensei Kaku joined Tommy, Billy, and Kimberly outside of the apartment. "It's happening," Kaku said. "The evil of the Gorma is winning."

"What are you…" Then Tommy remembered what Kou's mother had told them.

"_Kou is half Gorma…that evil energy burns inside of him, and on his birthday, not even the tiger brand I placed on his arm will be able to contain that energy…"_

"The tiger brand is weakening," Kaku said.

"There has to be something we can do," Kimberly said.

"We need a way inside first," Billy said.

"Kaku," Byakko said from within the room as he peaked his head out of Kou's jacket. "There may be a way I can help him...I can enter his mind…"

Kaku nodded, signaling the saber to proceed.

White beams shot from the saber's eyes and into Kou's mind…

* * *

Kou's mind was like a dark forest of twisted trees surrounded by thick blankets of fog. Byakko hovered through the mist as he projected his image into his holder's mind.

"Guys!" Kou shouted frantically as he ran through the twisted woods. He was a prisoner inside his own mind. "Where is everyone?!"

"Kou!" Byakko shouted.

"Byakko…" But Kou could not find the saber. "Where did you go?!"

Kou heard the squeaking of old wooden wheels nearby in the fog. Then a whistle.

A Kyonshi carried a small chariot from the fog. Akomaru stepped down from the chariot and slowly started walking towards Kou.

Kou opened his eyes wide and fell backward, tripping over his own feet. "Akomaru…it can't be!"

Byakko shouted from the distance. "It's not real Kou…this is all in your mind!"

"Yes and no, Byakko," Akomaru said with a glimmer of evil in his eye. "This _is_ Kou's mind, and _I'm_ in it."

Kou rolled his hands up into fists as he rose back to his feet.

"Your power has made you a prisoner here, Kou," Akomaru said. "A prisoner in your own mind. And as your birthday nears…" Akomaru removed his headband, revealing a third eye about ready to pop out from his forehead. The skin on his head was cracked and bulging. "You will truly be Gorma. My fate, is yours."

Akomaru extended his hand and fired energy tentacles of crimson power from his palm. The tentacles wrapped around Kou and lifted him from his feet. Akomaru used the tentacles to throw Kou around, bashing him into trees and slamming him against the ground.

"Get out of my head!" Kou shouted.

* * *

The energy around Kou shattered as explosions sparked throughout Kimberly's apartment. Kou and Byakko crashed to the ground.

Kaku and the teens burst into the room. Kimberly crouched down next to Kou and tried to wake him. "Kou…Kou!"

"Akomaru is still alive!" Byakko shouted. "He's invaded Kou's mind, suppressing his consciousness and accelerating the evil energies inside of him."

* * *

The gigantic black dragon flew closer towards to the Earth's surface. Its serpent-like form snapped like a snake.

* * *

Within the Gorma palace, Akomaru sat across from the emperor. The boy was not wearing a mask as he played cards with the Gorma ruler. A bulge on his forehead was covered with dry cracking skin where his third eye would pop out.

Shadam stood by impatiently with his arms crossed over his chest. He wore the same wooden mask over his face that all Gorma had to wear when they faced their ruler.

"Good hand, Akomaru," the emperor said as he reached out and grabbed one of the boy's cards. "But I win again."

Shadam shook his head in disbelief. "This is a waste of my time."

The emperor looked up at Shadam. "Learn some respect, Shadam. You could learn a lot from the boy."

Akomaru grinned mockingly at Shadam.

"Hmph," Shadam said.

"Listen to the emperor, father," Akomaru said as he exchanged another card with the emperor. "After all...I have accelerated the evil within Kiba Ranger. It's only a matter of time before he is Gorma."

"What…" Shadam said in disbelief. "How?"

"The boy has his resources," the emperor said. He laughed. "Which is more than I can say for you."

* * *

Shadam slammed his fist through a crate within a dark warehouse. The other two members of the Gorma Triumvirate stood by. "How did he do it?" Shadam asked. "He's just a boy."

Gara nodded. "I wonder what these resources are the emperor spoke of?"

Shadam shook his head. "He's just a boy…and he has the Kiba Ranger."

Zydos shook his head. "Let's kill him."

Shadam shook his head. "Not yet. He's too close to the emperor…but if the Kiba Ranger's will has truly been weakened...maybe we could use that to our advantage."

* * *

The Gorma pachinko monster was stalking across the streets when a streak of pale light struck his body, possessing him. The Gorma screamed and leapt through the air.

The monster landed at an outdoor playground complete with carousels and a miniature roller coaster.

"Stop!" Lion Ranger shouted as he and Tenma Ranger leapt onto the scene.

"Rangers…" the monster growled. The monster extended his hand and fired a blue energy blast from his palm.

The blast exploded against the Rangers' armor as they rolled forward through the explosions, sparks thrashing across their armor.

Lion Ranger sprang forward and swung a knifehand chop towards the villain's head. With one swift movement, the Gorma blocked the blow and smashed the Green Ranger aside. Lion Ranger turned and snapped a roundkick towards the monster, but the Gorma blocked the blow and slammed a backfist strike across the Ranger's helmet.

Tenma Ranger moved forward with a jump roundkick, but the villain blocked the blow and slammed an uppercut upside the Blue Ranger's head.

Lion Ranger moved forward and swung the back of his fist towards the monster's head. The villain blocked the blow and grabbed the Green Ranger by the throat. The monster hurled the Ranger over his shoulder.

The Green Ranger crashed against the ground and tumbled backward.

"Adam," Tenma Ranger called as he ran to his friend's side and helped the Green Ranger to his feet. The two Rangers snapped into fighting stances.

Suddenly, Dragon Ranger and Kirin Ranger leapt through the air and speared their staffs against the Gorma, knocking the villain off his feet.

The four Rangers regrouped as the villain rose to his feet. The Gorma monster snarled at the Rangers and laughed. For a few seconds, the Rangers could see a ghostly image of Shadam ebb from within the monster.

"It's Shadam," Dragon Ranger said. "Is this his monster form?"

"No," Lion Ranger said.

"Shadam must have possessed this Gorma," Kirin Ranger said.

The Gorma pulled out and enlarging bomb and tossed it to the ground. He absorbed the energy of the explosion and used it to grow giant.

The villain started slamming his fists through buildings, causing explosions while debris crashed against the streets below. People ran and screamed in panic as cars screeched to a halt to avoid getting crushed by massive chunks of concrete.

Zydos and Gara appeared on the streets below alongside a group of Kyonshi and charged towards the four Rangers.

Dragon Ranger turned to face them. "Gorma…"

The Rangers and Kyonshi slammed against each other with a flurry of blows. Dragon Ranger knocked a soldier's staff aside while pressing forward with a spinning heel kick against the grunt's head. Tenma Ranger moved in low while kicking the legs out from a soldier. Kirin Ranger slammed a jumpkick upside a soldier's head.

The giant Gorma looked down at the Rangers. "It's not you we're after, Rangers…it's the Kiba Ranger…"

"What?" Dragon Ranger said.

The monster shot out a blast of Crimson energy that flew across the city.

* * *

Kou was lying back on the couch while unconscious. Kimberly was at his side, sitting on the floor and applying a damp washcloth to his forehead. The boy had broken out into a fever.

The blast of crimson energy suddenly shot into the apartment and entered Kou's body. The boy's eyes snapped open as he sat up.

* * *

The Rangers' battle with the Kyonshi had covered four city blocks. The grunts seemed to pop up everywhere, battling against the four Rangers with staffs and sabers. Tenma Ranger was clearing the soldiers from a fire escape with a flurry of spinning kicks while the other Rangers continued to smash against the soldiers on the streets.

Kiba Ranger suddenly leapt onto the scene. The White Ranger slammed a flying sidekick against Tenma Ranger's back. Blue Ranger toppled off the fire escape and crashed on the streets below.

The Rangers regrouped below the fire escape.

"You okay?" Dragon Ranger asked as he helped the Blue Ranger to his feet.

"Yeah," Tenma Ranger said as they looked towards the White Ranger, standing on the fire escape above. "Something's wrong with Kou!"

Kiba Ranger leapt from the fire escape and angled his descent towards the four Rangers below. He swung his saber downward across Tenma Ranger's chest while landing, his blade sparking across the Blue Ranger's armor upon impact.

Kiba Ranger spun past Kirin Ranger while slashing across the Ranger's armor with a burst of spark.

The White Ranger continued his spin while twirling his blade in an 8-shaped pattern, slashing across Lion Ranger and Dragon Ranger's armor.

The White Ranger turned back towards the Rangers. He swung his blade down in an x-shaped pattern, slashing across the Rangers' armor with bursts of sparks.

Kimberly ran through the alley towards the scene. "Stop it Kou!"

K imberly leapt forward while arming her morphers. "Chakra ignite!" Energy shimmered around her as she morphed into her Ranger form.

Kiba Ranger swung his blade, slashing Phoenix Ranger from the air while she passed over him.

The Rangers regrouped as Dragon Ranger helped the Pink Ranger to her feet.

Kiba Ranger snapped into a fighting stance and aimed his saber towards the Rangers.

"Kou!" Byakko shouted. "Stop this!"

"He is Gorma now!" Shadam yelled from the giant monster above.

Dragon Ranger glared up at the monster. "It's about time I took you out…" He unsheathed his Thunder Sword and raised the blade towards the sky. "Thunderzord arise!"

Red Dragon swooped down from the skies.

Dragon Ranger combined his Thunder Sword and Star Cutter into a blaster. "Thunder Blaster!" he shot a white-energy grappling beam that wrapped around the dragon and reeled him towards his zord. The Red Ranger slid down into the zord's cockpit.

"Red Dragon, rise up!" The zord surged with crimson lightning and started to change shape. Red Dragon transformed into a humanoid warrior and landed on the ground while stepping back into a fighting stance.

Dragon Ranger threw a kick from his cockpit that his zord mirrored by flying sidekicking the monster to the ground.

B ack on the streets below, Kiba Ranger slashed Phoenix Ranger across the chest.

Lion Ranger moved in behind the White Ranger. Kiba Ranger spun around while swinging his blade horizontally, the blade sparking across Lion Ranger's armor on impact.

Gara and Zydos joined the attack.

Zydos grabbed Kirin Ranger in a choke hold and lifted the Yellow Ranger off his feet. Zydos tossed Kirin Ranger backward, sending the Ranger crashing into a building.

Meanwhile Gara used her fencing foil to slash across the Blue Ranger's armor.

Above, Red Dragon armed his black staff and swung the weapon across the monster's chest, the staff's edge sparking against the villain upon impact. The blow knocked the monster backward, and the Gorma crashed against the ground while smashing through part of a building.

The giant monster slowly climbed back to its feet and fired an energy blast that exploded against Red Dragon.

People ran in panic below as debris crashed down to the streets.

Kameo weaved through the crowd, running as fast as his bulky legs could carry him. "Guys!" Kameo shouted as he ran to the scene. "Hold on!"

The skies suddenly turned black. Red Dragon and the Gorma monster lowered their stances and looked up towards the skies as a rumbling sound approached.

A massive black dragon flew down from the clouds like a serpent. The creature roared, an ear-splitting sound that shattered windows and crumbled buildings.

On the streets, the Rangers looked up at the beast with utter shock. Each claw of the dragon was bigger than a zord. The beast was massive beyond description.

"That must be…" Kameo said.

"Oh no…" Kirin Ranger said.

"That's one pissed off dragon," Tenma Ranger said.

The dragon, Daijinnryu, crackled with energy as he flew towards the streets. Skyscrapers exploded, and the sides of buildings were blasted out by shockwaves from his decent.

Kiba Ranger, the Gorma, and everyone else below was almost hit with falling debris.

"You'll pay for that!" Dragon Ranger shouted. "Thunder Chariot!"

The other four Thunderzords formed a flying chariot that streaked through the air. Red Dragon spun his staff like a helicopter propeller and landed on the chariot. The Thunder Chariot was like a mosquito to the dragon. The zords flew across the length of the monster while moving closer to its armored skin.

"That was too close," Dragon Ranger said.

The black dragon landed on the streets, shaking the ground with a massive quake.

Red Dragon leapt off the Thunder Chariot and landed on the ground below. The Red Dragon looked up at the massive black creature. "Oh man, this is crazy," Dragon Ranger said.

The black dragon looked down at the pachinko monster and stepped on it.

The monster returned to his normal form and stumbled across the streets while separating from Shadam. Shadam slowly rose to his feet as Zydos and Gara regrouped with him. They teleported away, blinking out of sight.

"Well," Kirin Ranger said. "Whatever that thing is…it's not with the Gorma."

"That doesn't make him any less friendly," Tenma Ranger said.

The massive dragon opened its maw and looked down at the city beneath him. Streams of yellow-tinted energy poured forth that exploded against the ground and vaporized several city blocks.

* * *

In the lair, Kaku was thrown from his platform as the streets above shook with violent tremors. "Daijinnryu…" he said with fear.

* * *

The black dragon stood still.

The teens returned to their normal forms and spread out across the streets while helping people to their feet.

"Kou…" Kimberly said as she searched the alleys. "Where's Kou?"

Billy spotted Kameo hunched over at the base of a damaged building. The ranger ran to his friend's side.

"Billy," Kameo said as he grasped onto the ranger's shirt. "Billy, that was…that was…oh no!"

Tommy watched Kameo and Billy as he wrinkled his brow with anger. "Whatever it was, we have to figure out how to stop it," he said to himself.

* * *

The rangers and Kameo regrouped in the lair with Kaku. The sensei crossed his arms behind his back as he faced his young charges. "The black dragon is known as Daijinnryu," Kaku said.

Kameo nodded fearfully. "Nothing can stop it."

"We have to try," Tommy said.

"What does it want?" Billy asked. "It's not a Gorma creation."

"No," Kaku said. "It's worse…no one knows the true origins of the creature…only that it has deemed itself as a peacekeeper."

"Hell of a peacekeeper," Rocky said. "He makes George W. look like a boy scout."

Kameo shook his head. "Daijinnryu must believe that the war we are fighting is becoming too loud…"

"Tell him we'll keep it down and to get off our planet," Tommy said.

"It is not that simple," Kaku said. "Daijinnryu believes our war is becoming too violent, so if we do not stop, he will simply wipe out both sides."

Adam slammed his hand against a wall. "This is ridiculous."

Kaku nodded. "Yes."

"Well what can we do?" Kimberly asked. "When the Gorma attack, we have to fight back."

"Yeah…" Rocky said. " It's not like we can just knock on the Gorma's door and ask them to stop."

Kaku closed his eyes. He had an idea, one he did not want to share with the rangers.

Then the television monitor activated. The screen showed a reporter near the dragon. He screamed as the dragon opened its jaws and fired a blast of energy. The transmission cut out with a burst of static.

"Go," Kaku instructed the others.

* * *

Kaku walked through hidden stone corridors in the lair. He used his Kiryoku to iris open a passage in the stone wall beside him. He stepped through, and the entrance slammed shut behind him.

Kaku stepped forward and sat cross-legged on a circular wooden slab. He used his Kiryoku to make the slab levitate with him sitting on it.

Kaku used his power to shoot down the stone corridors.

* * *

Five metallic spheres hovered around the floating inverted pyramid that served as the Gorma palace. The main chamber inside was dark, nearly pitch black except for a lit area that descended downward into the center of the chamber.

Two lines of pillars bordered a blood-red carpet that led towards a small stage. A golden gong with demonic etchings was on the platform. Gorma priests rang the symbol in alarm as someone descended the steps towards them, walking from the darkness.

It was Kaku.

"You!" Shadam shouted. He unsheathed his sword and ran to attack Kaku.

Kaku's eyes flashed blue as an invisible shockwave pushed the three Gorma away. Kaku walked calmly, not breaking a step as he moved forward and stood below the gong. He reached down and pulled a wooden mask from a pedestal. He secured the mask over his face.

"What is he doing?" Gara asked.

A column started to rise beneath him, extending him upward several stories into the shadows. Kaku rose to the Gorma Emperor's level. The emperor was on his hovering platform, humming to himself while playing cards.

The emperor laughed with insanity as he saw Kaku standing on the column. "Master Kaku, to what do I owe this pleasure, my old friend?"

Kaku slowly removed his mask. "Emperor…"

The emperor started to laugh. "If you were anyone else, I would kill you for removing that mask." The emperor shuffled around some of his cards. "This war is progressing quite nicely, don't you think?"

"We must call a truce," Kaku said.

"A truce?" the emperor laughed. "I have heard this from you before…long ago."

"It's different this time," Kaku said. "Daijinnryu will destroy you and your followers, as well as mine. None of us will be able to stop the dark dragon from doing so."

The emperor nodded. "Daijinnryu is powerful…he's already killed many innocents." The emperor laughed. "The killing of innocents doesn't trouble me…observe."

The emperor's third eye produced a beam that created an energy screen. It displayed the pachinko monster stomping through the streets. "Shadam is determined to bring the Kiba Ranger under his control…to our side…he doesn't care who gets in his way or how many people die."

* * *

The teens ran through the rubble along with Kameo. The black dragon was nowhere to be seen. They looked up at the giant Gorma monster.

"Looks like Shadam's up to his old tricks," Adam said.

"Let's take him out," Tommy said.

"No!" Kameo yelled. "Daijinnryu will come again! He doesn't care what side you're on! He'll destroy you and the Gorma!"

"That doesn't mean we can just sit on our thumbs and do nothing," Rocky said.

Tommy nodded. "Let's take care of business."

The teens ran forward and armed their morphers.

"Stop!" Kameo shouted.

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger armor.

The Rangers unsheathed their Thunder Swords and lifted the blades into the air while holding their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The five Thunderzords appeared and charged over the landscape. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground. The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma monster.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he called out. "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords started to change shape and reconfigure as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold and black helmet slid into place.

The Rangers joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

The MegaThunderzord slammed the back of its fist against the monster. The villain tossed a handful of pellets that exploded against the zord's armor with a massive burst of spark.

"Is Shadam in there again?" Kirin Ranger asked.

"Doesn't matter," Dragon Ranger said. "We're taking him out either way."

* * *

The emperor laughed as he and Kaku watched the MegaThunderzord get bashed by the monster. "You see Kaku…I can't quit now. My side is growing stronger…I'm winning."

Kaku wrinkled his brow.

The emperor turned around to face Kaku. "Maybe if your side simply surrenders…and let's us take this world."

Kaku glared at the emperor.

Then the palace started to shake. Outside, Daijinnryu was pouring energy against the palace, causing the structure to rumble. One of the floating spheres broke apart, and its debris rained upon the inverted pyramid, causing it to tilt.

The emperor screamed as debris rained down. He was knocked from his pedestal but managed to grasp onto its edge to keep from plummeting towards his death. "Help!"

"Do you see!" Kaku yelled from his pillar. "It's Daijinnryu."

The emperor fell towards his death, but Kaku caught the emperor by the arm to save him.

"Kaku?" the emperor said in surprise.

"A truce!" Kaku said. "Call off your warriors and Daijinnryu will stop."

"Yes!" the emperor shrieked. "Yes!"

* * *

MegaThunderzord slammed its fists against the monster. The opponents stopped fighting when the skies above turned black.

"Our old friend is back," Tenma Ranger said.

The black dragon's deafening roar shook the city as the creature swooped down from the clouds. The massive dragon landed against the streets with a massive shockwave. The creature lifted its foot and stepped on the Gorma monster, driving its golden talon through the monster and causing him to explode.

The dragon's eyes flashed red. Invisible energy exploded against the Megazord, shooting the zord backward through several blocks as explosions rang across armor with a fury of sparks.

The MegaThunderzord broke into its individual components and scattered across the streets.

Dragon Ranger willed his Red Dragon to rise to its feet. "I'm not going down that easy!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

The black dragon lifted its massive foot and stomped towards the zord. Red Dragon rolled out of the way just as the foot crashed down.

"Tommy, get out of there!" Phoenix Ranger shouted.

"Tommy!" Kameo shouted as he ran across the streets below. He grasped his Thunder Gem. "Super Kidenjuu!" he shouted. "Daimugen!"

He clasped his hands over the crystal. Green light bled from the crystal and enveloped him as he shrunk into a turtle. His body immediately started to expand and form a massive zord. Bulky green armor wrapped around Daimugen, the carrier zord.

"Rise up!" Daimugen shouted. The zord tilted upward into warrior formation.

His front legs extended forward like hands. Barrels extended from the zord's hands like fingers. The zord opened fire with rapid volleys of green energy lances that exploded against the Gorma monster, keeping the villain back.

"Dragon Ranger!" Daimugen shouted as the top part of his shell opened, revealing an empty chamber. "Inside!"

Red Dragon leapt aside to avoid getting stepped on. The Red Dragon leapt into the chamber. The shell sealed the zord inside. Daimugen funneled energy into Red Dragon to help the zord heal.

The massive dragon crashed his foot down on the carrier zord, but his armor protected him, despite the strain. Daimugen roared with strain as the black dragon pressed its massive foot down harder.

"Kameo!" Kirin Ranger shouted.

Daijinnryu's eyes suddenly stopped glowing. The beast removed its foot from Daimugen.

"What's he doing?" Lion Ranger asked.

Kirin Ranger shook his head. "I don't know."

Daijinnryu then flew off, snapping its massive tail with a crack of thunder while shooting towards the skies.

"He must have had enough fun for the day," Tenma Ranger said.

* * *

The five teens gathered in front of Kaku within the lair. He had finished telling the rangers about his plan. They were not happy.

"A truce?!" Rocky said. "A truce?!"

Adam shook his head. "This is a bad idea."

"Sensei…" Tommy said. "Why? You know the Gorma won't honor it."

"Their emperor now fears Daijinnryu, as he should," Kaku said. "He will honor the truce." Kaku left for his private chambers.

Tommy sighed. "Sensei…"

* * *

Kimberly was running through the streets searching for Kou. Debris still littered the ground, and emergency crews were working everywhere. She spotted Byakko amidst some rubble.

"Kimberly," Byakko said as she picked him up.

"Where's Kou?" she asked.

"I…I don't know…"

* * *

In a deserted part of the destroyed city area, Kou walked alone through the foggy street with a blank stare on his face.

**To be continued…**


	23. Jinn's Last Dance

**Jinn's Last Dance**

In a dark, dripping cave outside of Angel Grove, a Kyonshi paced back and forth in front of a cage. Jinn was chained inside the cage. The assassin was in his warrior form and appeared weak. Fatigued.

A Kyonshi entered the cage and walked towards Jinn to feed him. He seemed unconscious and was barely breathing.

The assassin suddenly snapped his eyes open and lunged towards the grunt. Jinn wrapped his chains around the soldier's neck to strangle the grunt. The Kyonshi went limp and crashed to the ground.

Jinn lifted a set of keys from the soldier. The assassin used the keys to free himself from his chains.

* * *

The teens were playing a baseball game in the park, taking a break from the Gorma and Rangers. But Tommy's mind drifted for some reason…

_Jinn extended his metal hand and fired a crimson energy snake. The snake exploded beneath Dragon Ranger as he leapt forward off the overhang. The Red Ranger extended his hand down towards the assassin while descending. _

"_Fire Stream!" Dragon Ranger shouted._

_A spiral of flame shot from the Red Ranger's palm and exploded against Jinn, knocking the assassin backward._

_Dragon Ranger landed on the ground and sprang forward to attack. The Red Ranger snapped a knifehand blow that Jinn blocked, and a roundkick that Jinn blocked. _

"_Burn Knuckle!" Dragon Ranger shouted as his fist energized with fiery power and slammed against Jinn's chest, forcing the assassin down to his knees. _

_Nearby, Zydos looked to the cannon monster. "Now."_

_The cannon Gorma set its sights on Dragon Ranger. The Gorma opened fire with a volley of powerful concussion blasts that streaked towards the Red Ranger's head and chest. _

_Jinn watched the blasts streaking towards his opponent. Jinn sprang to his feet and pushed Dragon Ranger out of the way. Cannon blasts exploded across Jinn, thrashing through armor, skin, muscle and bone while knocking the assassin off his feet._

"_Jinn!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he ran over to the assassin._

"_Stay back!" Jinn shouted._

"_Why did you…" Dragon Ranger started to say._

"_You deserved…a more honorable death than that," Jinn said as his eyes closed and he went limp on the ground._

Tommy shook his head to clear the memory. _Why am I thinking about that now? _he thought.

* * *

Zydos stared at the empty cage with anger and admiration. "So he's escaped…he's becoming more powerful than I thought…"

* * *

Tommy went into the woods to grab a fly ball. He gasped when he saw Jinn lying on the ground unconscious. The assassin looked only inches away from death. _Good_, was Tommy's first reaction. But something inside of the teen stirred.

Tommy had always viewed Jinn as a dark mirror, a twisted reflection of what Tommy's own life could have become. But the truth was, Jinn was no where near as evil as the Green Dragon Ranger had been.

Jinn did not murder in cold blood. He had a sense of honor, even though it was twisted. Did he deserve any less of a second chance than Tommy's friends had given him?

Tommy's mind flashed back…

_The Power Rangers met the Green Dragon Ranger on the rooftop. He held the girl in his arm and pressed his blade against her throat. He wondered if the Rangers knew that the girl's fate was sealed. Her death would enrage the Rangers, make them act on emotion and not think. Her death would throw the team off guard. That's what Dragon Ranger wanted._

_The Rangers stepped forward and tossed the chest containing the eggs onto the roof. Zordon had teleported them to the chest and brought them back to the exchange point. _

"_There," Tyranno Ranger said. "Now let the girl go."_

"_But of course," Dragon Ranger said in an icy tone. He slit the girl's neck and tossed her aside._

"_NO!" Tyranno Ranger shouted as he and the others pounced forward. _

Tommy rolled his hands into fists.

* * *

Jinn was bandaged and lying in Tommy's bed. Tommy sat at his desk while keeping close watch over the assassin. Jinn stirred as his eyes slowly opened.

"You're awake," Tommy said.

"Bastard!" Jinn hissed. He tried to sit up, but gasped in pain while clutching his chest.

"Lay down," Tommy said. "You've been hurt badly. You can insult me after you've healed."

Tommy pushed Jinn back down, but Jinn knocked his hands out of the way. "Stop!"

Jinn stumbled from bed, his balance off as he assumed a weak and faltering fighting stance. "I don't need your help," he said as he gasped in pain. "Now let us continue our fight."

Jinn keeled over in pain.

"Jinn," Tommy said as he walked over to help him. Jinn knocked Tommy's hands away.

* * *

Tommy was talking to his friends in the lair. They were less than pleased to learn about his decision regarding Jinn.

"Are you insane?!" Rocky said. "He's tried to kill you."

Billy nodded. "Rocky's right…and is it safe to leave him in your house? With your family?"

"My family is out of town this weekend." Tommy shook his head. "Besides, Jinn's not what you think, guys."

"Oh, he's not a cold-blooded homicidal maniac?" Rocky said.

Kimberly shook her head. "Tommy…maybe they're right."

"No," Tommy said firmly. "He's honorable…just…misguided. I used to be too, remember?"

"That was different," Billy said. "You were under a spell."

"And under that spell, I did worse than Jinn ever did," Tommy said as he walked out.

* * *

Jinn was sitting up in bed when Tommy walked in. The teen carried a small white bag over to the assassin. "Hey," Tommy said. "I bought you some food. It'll help you get your strength back."

Jinn knocked the food away.

"Well…at least you're still as quick as ever," Tommy said as he picked up the mess.

Jinn stared down at Tommy with confusion. _Why is this boy showing me mercy? I've almost killed him on more than one occasion…_

* * *

Night came. Two lovers were sitting at a park bench while staring up at the stars. A bulky skeleton monster that appeared wolf-like pounced against the two lovers from behind. He ripped through them with his claws and bit their necks with his fangs.

* * *

Jinn awoke early the next morning. He turned his head to see Tommy asleep with his head on his desk. He was shifting uncomfortably as he talked in his sleep. "Kimberly…" Jinn grinned. _To be young again…_

When Jinn saw his wrist, he froze in shock. There was a thick white bone running down the middle of his forearm. "It can't be…"

Tommy yawned as he woke up, wiping the sleep from his eyes. "You're up early," Tommy said as he stood and stretched. "How are your wounds?"

"No!" Jinn yelled. "Stay away."

Tommy wrinkled his brow. "Jinn?" _What's the matter with him?_

* * *

Jinn calmed down later in the day. He was sitting in a wheelchair as Tommy pushed the assassin outside of the hospital.

"Well," Tommy said. "The doctor said you should be up on your feet by tomorrow. Bet you'll be glad to have me out of your hair."

"Tommy…" Jinn said, his gaze stern as he searched for the right words. "Why have you helped me?"

Tommy shrugged. "You're as much a victim of the Gorma as anyone else. And besides…I believe everyone deserves a second chance. Me, my Dad…you…"

Jinn nodded. "I believe if circumstances were different…we would find ourselves fighting on the same side."

Tommy nodded. "Me too…and it can still be that way."

Jinn shook his head. "No…" He turned his head slightly over his left shoulder. "But…if I ever try to hurt anyone again…" he pointed to a spot on the left side of his chest. "Strike me down here."

Tommy knitted his brow with confusion and shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

Jinn's body suddenly started to spasm. He collapsed to the ground while gasping in pain. His heart was pounding in his chest. His nails started to grow longer and thicker.

"Jinn!" Tommy leaned down to help him.

Jinn grabbed Tommy by the shirt and pulled the teen down to eye level. "Remember what I told you."

Jinn pushed Tommy away and ran towards the park.

* * *

The skeleton monster chased school girls through the park. Its jaws were dripping with blood from its latest kill.

Rocky leapt out as if from nowhere and slammed a sidekick against the creature, knocking the villain off his feet. Rocky landed as Adam, Billy, and Kimberly regrouped around him.

Adam snapped into a fighting stance. "That truce lasted about as long as expected," Adam said.

"Anyone who's surprised, please raise your right hand," Rocky said.

The creature rolled back onto its feet and sprang forward to attack.

The four rangers armed their braces. "Chakra ignite!" Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

The villain streaked past the Rangers in a blur of motion while slashing across their chests with his claws sparking on impact. The Rangers crashed against the ground, but quickly rolled into crouched fighting stances as the villain charged forward towards them again.

The creature pounced quickly and slashed Lion Ranger, Kirin Ranger, and Phoenix Ranger across their armor with his claws.

The villain swung his claw towards Tenma Ranger, but the Blue Ranger caught the villain's arm and hurled him through the air. The creature tumbled across the ground.

Tenma Ranger dashed forward with a Star Blade in each hand. He hurled one of the weapons forward. The blade went spinning forward and slashed across the monster with a massive spark that burst under the creature's bony skin.

The monster clutched its injured, smoking chest and ran off towards the trees.

* * *

"Jinn!" Tommy called as he ran through the woods.

Tommy spotted Jinn leaning on a park bench. He was nursing a wound on his chest and breathing heavily. Tommy ran towards him while the other teens dashed from the other end of the park.

Rocky opened his eyes wide as he recognized the wound on Jinn's chest. "Tommy, get away from him!"

Jinn lunged from the bench and grabbed Tommy in a chokehold. The assassin swung a hook punch across the ranger's face. The teen went crashing backward and tumbled across the ground.

Jinn's body started to contort as his skin peeled away. He transformed into the skeleton monster as a deep howl echoed from his monstrous lungs.

"What the hell?" Tommy said. The rangers regrouped and snapped into fighting stances.

Zydos teleported into the area, blinking into sight. "Rangers…" he said as he stepped forward.

"Zydos," Tommy said as the rangers turned to face the villain.

Zydos extended his arm towards Jinn. "Do you like what I've done with him? I've turned him into the perfect mindless killing machine. Garouki, the Hungry Demon Wolf."

"You bastard!" Tommy yelled.

"Kill them!" Zydos yelled.

The creature pounced forward to attack. The rangers dove to the side and rolled for cover. The teens rose back to their feet and stepped back into defensive stances.

"Jinn," Tommy said. "You can't let them control you. Fight it!"

"It's no use, Tommy," Adam said.

The monster energized a plasma blade along his forearm and hurled the blade forward. The energy discharge exploded around the teens, knocking them from their feet and sending them flying through the air.

Before they landed, they shouted "Aura Power!" They connected their braces and morphed into their Ranger armor as they landed.

Jinn activated two plasma blades along each arm and hurled them forward. The Rangers tried to dive aside, but they were not fast enough. Each blade exploded across the Rangers' armor with massive bursts of spark that tore across their armor.

Dragon Ranger rolled to his knees. He remembered what Jinn had told him. _"If I ever try to hurt anyone again…" he pointed to a spot on the left side of his chest. "Strike me down here."_

Dragon Ranger unsheathed his Thunder Sword. "I'm sorry Jinn," he said quietly as he leapt through the air and stabbed his sword through the creature's weak spot. The monster growled with pain and slammed the back of his fist across the Red Ranger's helmet.

The Thunder Sword was still stuck in the creature's chest.

"Jinn!" Zydos shouted.

"You won't have me this easily, Zydos!" Jinn shouted through the monster. He wrapped his hand around the blade and pushed it deeper. The monster howled, above Jinn's determined strain.

Dragon Ranger understood. Jinn was not trying to kill himself. He was trying to dig the monster out somehow.

Zydos extended his hand and fired a blue energy pulse that streaked towards the creature.

"No!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he leapt forward to push the creature aside.

The blast exploded against Dragon Ranger and the creature, knocking them backward and sending them stumbling across the ground. Tommy's armor was forcibly powered down by the blast. And the monster was ripped from Jinn with a violent flash of mystical light.

Jinn went rolling across the ground. He had returned to his normal form.

"Tommy!" the other Rangers shouted as they ran towards their leader, but a group of Kyonshi appeared and blocked their path.

Tommy moved towards Jinn's side and leaned down towards the assassin. "Jinn…are you okay?"

Kyonshi surrounded them, circling around the ranger and the assassin. Jinn and Tommy narrowed their eyes as the soldiers dashed back and forth, waiting for the right moment to strike. Tommy and Jinn looked to each other and nodded.

Jinn and Tommy rose to their feet, stood back-to-back, and snapped into fighting stances as Kyonshi moved around them.

"Si-kuya!" Tommy shouted as he and Jinn pounced forward and attacked. The pair acted with a flawless symphony of kicks and punches that crashed against the grunts, knocking soldiers aside faster than the villains could even attack.

Tommy launched a jumpkick upside a soldier's head and spun forward with a reverse hook kick that smashed across a grunt's head.

Jinn snapped a soldier's throat and leaned to the left while slamming a knifehand chop against a second grunt's neck.

A soldier swung his staff towards Tommy. Tommy rolled underneath the blow while morphing into his armor. Red energy shimmered around him as he rose to his feet. Dragon Ranger turned and blocked a blow before slamming a round kick against the grunt's head.

Jinn slammed the heel of his palm against a soldier's face. He kept his palm extended forward when the grunt fell. "_Oniken henge_."

Jinn flashed with crimson energy as he transformed into his warrior form and leapt forward, slamming a screw kick against a Kyonshi.

Jinn pushed off the Kyonshi and leapt through the air. The assassin landed in a crouched position in front of Zydos and pounced forward. Jinn slammed his metal fist against the Gorma's face.

Zydos crashed back against the ground and skid across the dirt. He slowly climbed back to his feet and glared at Zydos. "You'll pay for that, Jinn!" Zydos yelled.

"Let's go!" Jinn shouted as he snapped forward with a jumpkick that slammed upside the Gorma's head. Jinn snapped a roundkick that Zydos blocked. Jinn slammed the back of his metal fist across the Gorma's face while spinning forward with a reverse sidekick that slammed against the villain's chest.

Zydos lunged forward and grabbed Jinn in a chokehold. Zydos lifted the assassin by the throat and hurled him through the air.

Jinn twisted through midair and landed in a fighting stance before springing forward. "Spider Fist!" Jinn launched a flurry of speeding punches that slammed into Zydos at turbo speed.

Zydos managed to catch the last punch by wrapping his hand around the assassin's wrist. Zydos opened his jaw and spat a sphere of blue fire that exploded against the assassin with a massive burst of spark.

Meanwhile the Rangers energized and leapt forward in streaks of light to attack the creature. One by one, the Rangers slammed their Thunder Staffs against the monster, knocking it backward.

The Rangers regrouped. "Kiryoku Bazooka!"

The bazooka materialized above the Rangers as they stood in formation. The bazooka slowly lowered. Lion Ranger, Tenma Ranger, Kirin Ranger, and Phoenix Ranger stood on the sides of the weapon. They inserted their Star Cutters into the bazooka's casing to hold the weapon.

Phoenix Ranger loaded each of the Rangers' gems into the cannon. The bazooka whined with energy as the Rangers aimed forward.

"Kiryoku Bazooka," Dragon Ranger said. "Fire!" The bazooka nearly blasted itself out of the Rangers' hands as it fired a massive discharge of energy. The energy blast streaked forward, a comet of power as it exploded through the Gorma, incinerating the villain with a massive explosion of spark and flame.

The team powered down.

The rangers saw Jinn in his normal guise. He was lying on the ground, badly injured. Zydos was nowhere in sight. "Jinn!" Tommy shouted as he ran over towards the assassin.

Jinn, although his body was bruised and broken, slowly rose to his feet. He lifted his hands into a fighting position and stepped back into a square stance while looking at Tommy. "Let us continue."

Tommy said nothing. He stepped back into a fighting stance and faced off with his opponent for the last time.

The other rangers watched with confusion. The rivalry, if it even was rivalry anymore, between Tommy and Jinn had become too strange for them to understand.

"They can't be serious," Kimberly whispered.

The two launched at each other and started exchanging blows, kicks slamming against blocks and forearms deflecting punches. Neither of them gained the upper hand. They dashed back and forth across the park. Because Jinn was weakened, Tommy slipped a punch past Jinn's defenses.

But the ranger stopped his fist a centimeter from Jinn's face.

That was when Jinn knew. They could never truly test each other. One of them could never truly win. Tommy in particular was not willing to deliver a final blow.

"Impressive…or at least it would have been." Jinn brushed Tommy's arm aside before turning and starting to walk away.

"Wait…where…" Tommy started to say.

Jinn kept walking, his legs barely able to support his weakened frame. "You've beaten me…surpassed me." He smiled. "Thank you, Tommy. It was an honor fighting against you…and alongside you." Jinn limped away.

* * *

The sun was setting in the mountains outside the city.

Jinn had limped for miles, his body too stubborn to give up and die. He had lost a lot of blood. His bones were broken.

In the distance, Jinn saw Zydos step forward with a massive army of Kyonshi. The villain had a smug grin on his face as he watched Jinn move like a wounded animal.

Zydos extended his hand. The first wave of Kyonshi charged forward.

Jinn slowly reached into his pocket, summoning every last ounce of his strength for what he knew would be his final battle. He would not go down fighting. He flipped the coin into the air and charged forward, screaming a war cry as he raised his hands in a fighting stance.

Seconds seemed to slow to minutes as Jinn met the enemy advance.

He knocked a soldier's saber away. And he slammed a hook punch across the grunt's head. His fist crushed the grunt's skull. A second soldier charged forward. Jinn swung his elbow towards the soldier. His elbow smashed against the grunt's face.

Jinn swung a hook kick towards a Kyonshi. His heel smashed against the soldier's head. The villain's skull was crushed from the blow.

Only sheer force of will kept him alive. His muscles tore as he fought through the villains. Not a bone in his body was un-fractured. Yet he kept moving, delivering blow after blow against an enemy that knew no honor.

Jinn smashed past the last soldier in the first wave and dashed forward, howling another war cry, determined to take every last villain down with him.

The second wave of Kyonshi lifted rifles from behind their backs. They aimed forward and fired, the sound of bullets tore through their air.

…

The sounds stopped. Only quiet.

Jinn's coin landed in the dirt.

**To be continued…**


	24. Kujaku's Fate

**Kujaku's Fate**

Kujaku sat alone by a pier at the edge of the city. She was leaving America and too weak to teleport away. Dressed in civilian clothes, she was traveling by cruise ship.

"Kujaku!" Adam shouted as he ran towards her. He sat down next to her on the bench. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's okay," she said. Her gaze was fixed on the ocean. "My ship is almost here…thank you for your help."

Adam nodded. "I still wish you would go by plane. It would be quicker."

She shook her head. "I don't believe in flying on those mechanical beasts…if I was strong enough…I could be in Japan in the blink of an eye."

"You'll be fine," Adam said as he squeezed her hands. "Just find those Tears."

She nodded.

"I wish you'd let me come with you," Adam said.

She shook her head. "You must stay here with your friends. They need your…" Then a feather dropped from beneath her shirt. The feather landed on the ground and turned gray. Kujaku placed her hands over her mouth to keep from wincing in pain.

Adam grabbed her hand with concern. "I am coming with you."

* * *

Kaku was meditating, his mind riding the astral plane. He saw a vision. He saw the Tears flashing with rainbow energy. Then he saw the people of Japan keel over, crying in pain.

Kaku's eyes snapped open. "Gara…what kind of black magick are you weaving?"

* * *

Gara was in a cave. She sat on a demonic symbol etched in the ground. She poured a dish of blood around her. "Kujaku…when you arrive seeking your rebirth, you will only find death."

* * *

Adam walked with Kujaku along the rocky shores of Japan. Kujaku kneeled towards a shrine in the far off distance and offered a prayer to her god. Adam kneeled down beside her.

"His powers are almost as weak as mine," she said.

"Why?" Adam said.

"Evil," she said. "Evil is squandering his spirit."

"The Gorma?" he asked.

Kujaku shook her head. "Something worse."

Explosions suddenly sparked around them as they rolled for cover. They rolled into crouched fighting stances and looked up to see Gara floating towards them. Gara was dressed in a strange suit of dark-purple armor. Her Gorma third eye was exposed. The villain's shaggy black hair blew in the supernatural wind.

"Gara," Kujaku said as Adam stood in front of her in a fighting stance. "What have you done?"

Gara said nothing. She extended her hand and launched fiery bursts of purple energy towards the couple. Adam dove aside along with Kujaku as shockwaves knocked them backward.

Adam rolled back into a crouched position before springing forward through the air and arming his braces. "Chakra ignite!" He connected his braces and morphed into his armor.

Lion Ranger unsheathed his sword and swung the weapon downward towards the villain while landing. Gara disappeared in the blink of an eye, and Lion Ranger's sword passed through thin air.

The villain reappeared behind the Green Ranger. Lion Ranger snapped around while swinging his sword horizontally, but Gara vanished again. She reappeared in front of Lion Ranger and grabbed him by the throat.

Strands of power pulsed from her hand and exploded against the Ranger with a massive burst of spark. Gara threw the Green Ranger aside. Lion Ranger crashed to the ground and skid backward.

Kujaku moved to Lion Ranger's side as he rose to his feet. "What happened to her?" he asked.

"Adam," she said. "Gara has increased her strength by using the most wicked of spells."

The armored Gara was a doppelganger.

The real Gara reappeared beside them in her normal leather armor. She grinned wickedly at Kujaku and raised her fencing-type saber. "Kujaku…it is time for my revenge…finally."

Kujaku unsheathed her daggers and snapped into a fighting stance. "Gara," Kujaku said. "I grow tired of this fight."

"It will be over soon with your death," Gara said.

Gara extended her palm and launched spheres of blue fiery energy from her hand. The spheres exploded around and against Kujaku as she charged forward to attack. Kujaku flashed with energy as she leapt forward to attack.

Gara pounced forward, and the opponents clashed blades in midair while passing each other. They twisted and landed back on the ground while facing each other and raising their weapons.

They circled around each other while shifting fighting stances, searching for weaknesses in stance and movement. They dashed forward and clashed swords, swinging their blades through intricate arcs, parries, and strikes.

Meanwhile Lion Ranger and the Gara doppelganger faced off. The doppelganger launched strands of violet energy that wrapped around the Green Ranger. The energy strands exploded on impact, electrifying against Lion Ranger's armor.

The doppelganger used the strands of energy to reel Lion Ranger towards her. She grabbed the Green Ranger by the neck and slammed the back of her hand across his helmet, knocking him back to the ground.

Lion Ranger rolled into a crouched fighting stance and unsheathed his Thunder Sword.

The doppelganger extended her hand and fired pulses of violet energy from her palm that exploded against Lion Ranger, sending him flying through the air as his armor forcibly demorphed. Adam crashed against the ground hard.

The ground suddenly started to shake. The violent tremors caused a crack to open across the ground. The crack spread beneath Adam. He tried to rise to his feet, but the quake kept him off balance.

The ground tore open, and Adam fell through the opening. He grabbed an outcropped and clutched on for his life.

* * *

Gara's magick was poisoning the people of Japan. Her magick spread like a sickness, striking the people with a wave of vertigo.

Even the country's resident ranger team made up of foreign exchange students from Angel Grove - Jason, Trini, Zack, Richie, and Jonathan- were affected by the sickness.

* * *

The doppelganger launched a flurry of blasts that exploded near the crevice, nearly jarring Adam loose.

Blurs of energy passed by overhead. The other four Rangers arrived on the scene, having been contacted by Sensei Kaku.

Dragon Ranger and Tenma Ranger leapt through the air and slammed flying sidekicks against the armored Gara, knocking the doppelganger backward. She stumbled off her feet and crashed to the ground as Phoenix Ranger and Kirin Ranger landed behind her.

The Rangers were too late to help Adam.

The teen's hand slipped, and he plummeted down into the crevice.

* * *

Adam fell through the darkness. He tried to find something to grab hold of, but could not. He was doomed.

Then his body suddenly started pulsing with rainbow-like energy. The energy slowed his descent as he fell towards the foggy ground below.

Adam landed in a deep, underground cave of some sort. He saw a shimmering through the corner of his eye. He turned. The Tears were nearby. He saw them, egg-shaped, but with flowing feathers for a shell.

Adam walked forward, leaned over, and picked them up. "This is it," he said. "The Tears…"

* * *

Kujaku fell to the ground and rolled backward before rising back to her knees. One of her feathers fell to the ground and turned gray. She was getting weaker.

Gara extended her sword and fired a saber flare that exploded against Kujaku's chest and sent her flying backward. She went flying off a nearby cliff and landed in a field of tall grass and thorny stems.

Gara pounced forward and leapt down towards the field. She angled her decent towards Kujaku and swung the blade downward. Kujaku lifted her daggers and blocked the blow, blades clashing with a fierce spark.

"Kiryoku!" Kujaku shouted. Rainbow light exploded against Gara and knocked her away. The villain was thrown backward into thorns.

* * *

Green energy flashed within the crevice. Lion Ranger leapt from the opening and landed on the ground, the Tears clutched in his hand. He powered down his armor as the other rangers ran over to him.

"Are those…" Tommy started to ask.

Adam nodded. "We have to get these to Kujaku…now…"

* * *

Kujaku limped through the thorns. Her body was weak and breaking.

Nearby, Gara rose to her feet. The villain's eyes were closed and bleeding. She had gone blind.

Kujaku wrinkled her brow at the sight. "Gara…your eyes…"

Gara flailed about with anger, not sure where to focus her rage. "It's bad enough you scar me…now you blind me?!"

Gara extended her hand and haphazardly launched spheres of blue energy from her palm. The energy spheres exploded across the ground but did not hit their target. Gara collapsed to her knees.

* * *

Adam leaned over to pick up one of Kujaku's feathers. "Kujaku…she's dying…we have to find her now!"

Artificial wind blew through the air. The teens turned to see Sensei Kaku standing on a boulder at the base of a rocky hill.

"Sensei…" Tommy said as they walked towards him.

"Everyone…" Kaku stepped down and moved closer to his students.

"Sensei!" Adam said as he ran over to Kaku. "We have to find Kujaku. If we don't get her these Tears, she'll die."

"Adam…" Kaku said. "The Tears would not heal her. She's come too far in her illness. They would make her condition better only temporarily."

"There has to be something we can do!" Adam practically yelled. "We can't let her die!"

"There is nothing we can do for her, my son," Kaku said. "But we can save the people of this country from dying by using those tears. Gara's magick has poisoned everyone in Japan. The Tears can save them."

Adam shook his head. "What about Kujaku! These Tears can save a whole country, but they can't save her?"

"Adam…do not let your feelings blind you," Kaku said. "Kujaku would understand."

Adam clenched his jaw and shook his head. "No…no! I can't let her die." He grabbed Kaku's cloak out of desperation. "Sensei please…" he ran over to his friends. "Guys!"

The rangers looked away. None of them could meet his gaze.

Adam knitted his brow with anger. He turned and started running towards the distance while carrying the Tears.

Kaku extended his hand and used an invisible telekinetic blast to knock the Tears from Adam's hands. The Tears flew backward and landed in Kaku's hand.

"Give them back!" Adam yelled as he ran towards Kaku. Adam swung his fist towards his sensei. Kaku caught the teen's wrist and pushed Adam aside.

Adam rolled across the ground, rose to his feet, and leapt through the air, taking the Tears, but Kaku struck his foot up and kicked Adam in the gut. Kaku then used his Kiryoku to slam Adam against a rock wall. Adam rolled down the wall and onto the ground, the Tears leaving his hands.

The Tears rolled across the ground. They started glowing with rainbow-colored energy as Kujaku appeared besides them. She reached down and lifted the Tears from the ground.

"Kujaku," Adam said as he rose to his feet.

"Adam," she said as their eyes met.

She shook her head.

Adam's heart sank.

Kujaku took a step towards Kaku. "Sensei Kaku," she said. "I will use the tears to help the people…but first there is something I must do. Something I should have done long ago."

"I admire your courage," Kaku said.

Kujaku radiated with energy and streaked towards the distance.

"Kujaku!" Adam yelled as he ran in her direction.

* * *

Gara crawled across the ground, wailing with sorrow and rage. Kujaku appeared in a streak of energy and appeared besides Gara. Kujaku kneeled down towards her nemesis and oldest friend.

"I've come to help you," Kujaku said as she held the Tears. "These Tears…these are the reason I became the warrior Kujaku. I wanted to find the Tears to heal your scars. That's why I left you."

Gara shook her head. "You did this to me."

Kujaku nodded. "I'm sorry, Gara. My friend."

Kujaku dripped some of the Tears onto Gara's eyes. The villain's eyes slowly opened, and the scar along her face vanished. Gara opened her eyes wide with surprise as she ran her fingers along the side of her face where the scar used to be. "Kujaku…"

Kujaku laid Gara down and left towards the shore to finish her task.

* * *

Kujaku stood at the rocky shore, facing the ocean. Adam and the others ran towards her from the distance. Adam was shouting her name, but she tried her best to ignore him. She had a job to do.

Kujaku pulled the Tears backward before tossing them forward. The Tears splashed into the ocean and dissolved. Their magick energy slowly spread across the waters and formed a ring around the entire country of Japan.

"Kujaku!" Adam yelled as he and the other teens ran to her.

Kujaku turned and looked with yearning at Adam. She whispered his name. "Adam…"

Her knees faltered, and she slowly fell to the ground.

"Kujaku!" he screamed. He ran to her side and crouched down next to her as he lifted her into his arms. "Hold on…don't you die on me…"

She reached up with weak, shaking hands and ran her palm across the side of Adam's face, using her thumb to wipe away his tears. "Thank you…for teaching me how to love again."

Kujaku's eyes closed as her final breath escaped her lips. Adam held her tight and cried. A rainbow colored light flickered across her body as Kujaku disappeared. Adam leaned over and ran his fingers along the single feather she left behind.

**To be continued…**


	25. A Mother's Ring

**A Mother's Ring**

Kimberly leaned over the rail on her apartment balcony. Her thoughts drifted to Kou. They had not seen the boy in days. Was the poor boy doomed to nothing but a life of pain? Hadn't he suffered enough?

Tommy walked behind her and placed his arm around her shoulder. "We'll find him, Kim," he said.

She nodded, hoping that Tommy was right.

* * *

Akomaru slowly walked towards a small hut in the woods just outside of Angel Grove's Chinatown. The boy lifted his whistle and blew on the device, emitting a winding sound. The sound summoned a creature in a flash of silver light.

The monster's oblong body was bestial and covered with silver horns. The villain's skin was blue/purple, and he had a Gorma third eye in the center of his forehead. The monster was Akomaru's pet, named Silver Horns.

"Prepare yourself," Akomaru told the creature. No other words were needed.

* * *

A group of kids played soccer in the park nearby. They were playing for fun, dressed in jerseys of their favorite hockey or basketball stars - which did not make sense, but they enjoyed it anyway.

One of the kids accidentally kicked the soccer ball into the woods nearby. Several kids ran after the ball and chased it to a small patch of dirt. The kids noticed strange footprints when they leaned over to get the ball. The strange prints led deeper into the woods.

"Let's follow it," they said and they followed the prints deeper into the woods. They followed the prints to a small hut in the woods just outside of Angel Grove's Chinatown.

The kids were intrigued. They leaned towards the hut and peered inside through cracks on the wall. They saw a woman, Kou's mother, bound with chains as she cried on the floor. Akomaru was standing over her, glaring.

"Akomaru," she pleaded. "Stop this…you're-"

"Silence, woman! I didn't escape the depths of hell to listen to you babble."

"Stop this!" she pleaded as she grabbed a hold of him.

The kids each took a step back from the wall, shocked at what they saw. They heard a hissing growl come from behind. They turned and froze in their tracks when they saw Akomaru's silver-horned creature glaring at them. They screamed and ran back towards the woods.

Akomaru burst from the hut and watched the kids flee. The young Gorma hated intruders. "Don't let them get away," he said to his monster.

* * *

The kids made it away from the wilderness and closer to the parkland when they stumbled upon a park trail. Kimberly was walking along the trail, searching for Kou, when the kids nearly crashed against her.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

The kids yelled about a monster and asked for help, frantically waving their hands.

"One at a time," she said. "What's wrong?"

They told Kimberly about the woman being held captive and the boy. Kimberly did not ask any further questions. Somehow, she knew. She knew the woman was Kou's mother. She could feel it.

An energy blade suddenly whizzed towards them. Kimberly pushed the kids aside and dove for cover as the blade passed by them. Kimberly rolled across the ground and rose into a crouched position. She looked up to see Akomaru's pet step forward from the trees.

"Run," she told the kids. She did not have to ask them twice.

Kimberly armed her morphers and leapt towards the creature. "Aura Power!" She connected her braces. Energy shimmered around her as she morphed into her Ranger form.

Phoenix Ranger unsheathed her sword and slashed downward across the villain while landing, her sword sparking on impact. She spun forward while twirling her blade and slashed the monster with a horizontal strike.

Phoenix Ranger turned and swung her blade back down towards the creature, but the monster grabbed the Pink Ranger's sword with its claws and twisted the weapon downward.

The monster extended its other hand and fired a jagged burst of purple energy that exploded against the Pink Ranger and knocked her backward. Phoenix Ranger crashed against the ground.

Kyonshi blinked to the scene and rushed forward to attack.

She rose to her knees and activated her communicator. "Guys. I need help."

A soldier rushed towards her. Phoenix Ranger low blocked the grunt's saber strike and slammed her elbow against the villain's chest. Another grunt rushed towards her from ahead. Phoenix Ranger snapped an outer crescent kick that bashed the soldier aside.

* * *

Kaku alerted the others.

The four Rangers throttled through the park on their Thunder Cycles. They hoped whatever battle awaited them would not bring on the wrath of the black dragon. They kicked themselves for thinking, even for only a second, that a truce with the Gorma was feasible.

* * *

Phoenix Ranger armed her Star Blade and spun forward while slashing through a soldier's body. She slammed a jump kick upside a second soldier's head and chopped the Star Blade down through the back of a third soldier's neck.

The Thunder Cycles rode onto the scene.

Dragon Ranger leapt off his cycle and armed his Thunder Staff while jumping towards the monster. The Red Ranger smashed his staff across the villain's head and spun forward while slamming his staff across the villain's body.

Kirin Ranger, Tenma Ranger, and Lion Ranger split up and slammed against the soldiers. They armed their Thunder Staffs and used the weapons to smash through the soldiers.

Phoenix Ranger spun a roundhouse kick that bashed a soldier aside. She flipped a second soldier over her shoulder and slammed the grunt against the ground. The Pink Ranger broke through the last of the grunts and ran further into the woods.

"Kimberly!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

Tenma Ranger yelled towards her. "We usually don't leave until _after_ we've beaten the bad guys."

"It's Kou's mother!" Phoenix Ranger called back as she continued to run.

* * *

Phoenix Ranger approached the hut.

Akomaru was standing outside and narrowed his eyes as the Pink Ranger approached. Akomaru extended his hand towards the Ranger. "Kyonshi!"

Another group of soldiers appeared in front of the hut and charged forward to attack the Pink Ranger. Phoenix Ranger front flipped forward and crashed her heels downward across a soldier's head. She spun forward while slamming a knifehand strike against a grunt and slammed a jump kick upside another soldier's head.

Phoenix Ranger slowly worked her way through the wave of grunts while launching a flurry of kicks and knifehand chops.

Meanwhile, a group of grunts dragged Kou's mother from the hut and tossed her into Akomaru's chariot. A pair of grunts grabbed the chariot and started dragging it away towards the distance.

Phoenix Ranger pushed forward, but more Kyonshi appeared and surrounded her. The Pink Ranger roundkicked a grunt in the side and spun forward, slamming a reverse hook kick across another grunt's face.

Akomaru blew his whistle to summon his pet.

In the distance, the monster slashed its claws across the Red Ranger's armor with a burst of spark. Dragon Ranger crashed backward and rolled across the ground. Kyonshi scattered around him and closed in to attack.

The monster armed an enlargement bomb and tossed it to the ground. The bomb exploded, and the monster absorbed the energy from the explosion while using it to grow giant.

Dragon Ranger spinning-heel kicked a grunt aside, unsheathed his sword, and raised the blade towards the skies. "Thunderzord arise! Red Dragon!"

Red Dragon swooped downward towards its tamer. Dragon Ranger used his Thunder Blaster like a grappling hook to reel himself onto his zord. Red Ranger hopped into the cockpit embedded within the zord's armor.

"Red Dragon, rise up!" Dragon Ranger shouted. Red Dragon crackled with tendrils of crimson energy and assumed his humanoid warrior form. The zord landed and faced off with Akomaru's pet.

"Kimberly," Dragon Ranger shouted down to her. "Don't let them get away with Kou's mother. I'll handle big and ugly."

Phoenix Ranger knife-hand chopped a soldier away from her. "Right."

Above, Red Dragon charged forward and slammed a kick against the giant monster. The creature knocked the zord's leg away and slashed its claws across the zord's armor.

Red Dragon pressed forward and slammed two knifehand strikes against the monster. The creature emitted jagged streams of sonic energy that exploded against Red Dragon and knocked the zord backwards as explosions thrashed across armor. Red Dragon slammed against the ground.

The monster fired jagged streams of energy that streaked upwards through the skies before crashing back down towards the zord, exploding across Red Dragon's armor and ripping through the woods.

Fires started to burn below. The Kyonshi kept pulling Kou's mother away. "Help me!" Kou's mother shouted, but Phoenix Ranger was still surrounded by soldiers.

Phoenix Ranger kept pushing the past the soldiers, snapping kicks and blocking blows. She was growing more and more fatigued with each strike. But she kept fighting. She had to reach the woman. She had to save her for Kou.

* * *

Kou was sleeping in a cave. He suddenly sat up as white energy flashed around him. His eyes stared ahead like blank slates. White energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

* * *

Phoenix Ranger unsheathed her Star Cutter and slashed a grunt across the chest with a single movement. The other Rangers were nearby, using their Thunder Staffs to clear some of the grunts away from the Pink Ranger.

The skies above turned black. A deafening roar tore through the entire city. Daijinnryu moved down from the clouds like a massive serpent. The demon dragon snapped its tail, a sound like thunder, as it arced down towards Angel Grove.

Red Dragon looked up as the massive dragon stretched as far as they could see, streaking deeper towards the city. The Gorma monster took advantage of the distraction and slashed its claws across the zord repeatedly, each claw sparking upon impact.

A golden saber then slashed across Red Dragon. The saber belonged to the White Tigerzord.

"The White Tigerzord?!" Dragon Ranger said as he saw the white-armored zord through his cockpit.

"Let's go, Ranger," Kiba Ranger said. His voice sounded deep and metallic.

"Kou!" his mother screamed up at him.

Kiba Ranger loaded a transparent crystal sphere into his console. "White Tiger Thunderbolt!" Kiba Ranger shouted.

Bursts of fiery electrified energy shot from the zord and exploded against Red Dragon with a burst of spark, thrashing across the zord's armor.

"Kou stop!" Dragon Ranger shouted. "You don't know what you're doing!"

Below, Kyonshi kept pulling Kou's mother away as Phoenix Ranger followed, slamming past Kyonshi as fast as she could. But the wave of Kyonshi grew thicker. The Pink Ranger's momentum slowed as Kou's mother was taken further away.

"Stop!" Phoenix Ranger shouted as she slammed a knifehand against the back of a soldier's neck.

Kou's mother was dragged further away. She pulled off a ring from her right hand and tossed it towards the Pink Ranger. The ring arced through the air before Phoenix Ranger leapt upwards and grabbed it.

Meanwhile the other three Rangers bashed through soldiers and moved closer to Phoenix Ranger. They looked up into the sky as the massive demon dragon howled again.

"Daijinnryu!" Kirin Ranger shouted.

"We must have been too noisy," Tenma Ranger said.

The massive black dragon entered the city and landed among buildings, creating a massive shockwave that shattered rubble. The shockwave extended towards the edge of the park, slamming against the two zords and monster with a flurry of sparks while knocking them aside.

* * *

The Rangers and Gorma scattered after Daijinnryu landed.

Wounded, Kou limped through his cavern and laid down on a rock. He closed his eyes. "What's happening…" he whispered. "Where are you, mother…mother…"

* * *

Daijinnryu towered above the city, the tallest skyscrapers not even reaching his knees. The black dragon stood still, its body rigid.

Sensei Kaku stood on a nearby rooftop and looked out at the black dragon. The five rangers arrived on the rooftop and ran towards him. "Sensei!" Tommy shouted as he and the others regrouped around Kaku.

They stood silently for a moment before Kaku started to speak. "The Gorma's attacks have drawn out the black dragon once more," Kaku said.

"They were holding someone hostage," Rocky said.

Kimberly nodded. "It was Kou's mother, but they took her."

"Speaking of Kou," Billy said. "I can't believe he attacked us again."

Byakko peaked his head out from Tommy's jacket. "His Gorma side is growing stronger. With the Tiger Brand weakened by Akomaru, there's no way to stop him from becoming evil."

"There's always a way," Adam said.

Tommy nodded. "We just have to find it."

Kimberly reached into her pocket and pulled Kou's mother's ring from her pocket. She held the ring in her right palm and ran her left fingers along its gold band.

"What is that?" Tommy asked.

"Kou's mother's ring," Kimberly said. "She tossed it to me before the Kyonshi took her."

* * *

The Triumvirate gathered in a field. Five Gorma spheres hovered in the skies above them. Each sphere was invisible to the human eye. The three Gorma were speaking with Akomaru, and the boy had his back to them.

"Your pet brought the black dragon again," Shadam said. "The emperor will be displeased."

"I have other things to worry about besides the black dragon…or even the emperor."

Shadam grinned. "The Kiba Ranger? You may have been able to release his Rinki somehow…but it was I who ignited that power. It was I who woke him to attack the Rangers."

Akomaru turned at them and grinned, a glimmer of evil in his arrogant eyes. "You know nothing of the Kiba Ranger. I do. He will be mine…and together, we will rule the Gorma side by side." Akomaru laughed as he teleported away, blinking out of sight.

"That boy!" Gara shouted. "What knowledge can he possibly have that we don't?"

Shadam wrinkled his brow. "I intend to find out."

"We need to do something…" Zydos said. "We have to fight."

Gara shook her head. "The emperor won't allow it. Daijinnryu would kill us all."

Shadam clenched his jaw and tightened his fists.

* * *

The Gorma Emperor was in his private chambers. He was picking at a string when Shadam suddenly appeared behind him. The emperor was startled as he turned to face Shadam.

"Shadam…" The two Gorma stared at each other for a moment. "How dare you sneak up on your master…hmm…answer me!"

An evil grin crossed Shadam's face.

* * *

Kimberly sat on her apartment couch. She held the ring in her palm and looked down at it. "Why did you give this to me? What am I supposed to do with it?"

Her eyes opened wide as a thought struck her. She activated her communicator. "Guys, come to my apartment, quick!"

* * *

"A Thunder Gem?" Tommy asked.

Kimberly nodded. "I'm sure of it. And if I'm right, that means it would respond to our gems."

Rocky shrugged. "It can't hurt…unless we drop one of our gems on our toes or something."

The rangers pulled out their Heaven-Star Thunder Gems and held them in a circle around the ring. The ring pulsed with white light and started hovering out the window.

"Let's follow it," Tommy said as he and the others ran outside.

* * *

"No!" Akomaru shouted at his father. "Have you gone mad!"

Akomaru and the Gorma Triumvirate were in an industrial district near the shoreline. They were standing outside a warehouse that had been heavily populated with workers, until Akomaru's pet got hungry.

Shadam shook his head. "I'm pulling in your rings. If you don't stand down…I'll kill you."

Akomaru blew his whistle and summoned his monster with a burst of dark light. "You're welcome to try! I know more about what's going on than you, Shadam! You will stand back and leave things to me. I'm the only chance you have at seeing this world fall! Kill them!"

Silver Horns charged forward to attack.

Shadam looked to his companions. "Gara, Zydos, take care of this."

Zydos and Gara charged forward towards the creature. Gara armed her fencing-type saber while Zydos depended on his brute strength.

With the creature distracted, Shadam walked towards the warehouse to see what Akomaru had hidden inside.

* * *

Shadam entered the dimly-lit warehouse. He turned a corner and stopped in his tracks at what he saw. Kou's mother was bound in chains on the ground. The mother's eyes opened wide with fear.

Shadam was practically speechless. His eyes opened wide, then quickly narrowed. "It…can't be."

The mother shook her head. "Shadam…" she said, her voice thick with pain.

Shadam clenched his jaw as every muscle in his body tightened with anger. "You're still alive!"

Akomaru burst into the warehouse and moved towards Shadam. "Stop!"

Shadam clenched his jaw and glared at Akomaru. His eyes darted back down to the mother. "You…" Shadam growled. "Being held captive by your own offspring…you always were a weak mistress."

Akomaru's eyes opened wide with shock. His muscles tightened as the realization sank in. Akomaru narrowed his eyes and glared at his mother. "You…the one who abandoned me…"

"Akomaru," his mother pleaded as she shook her head.

"Silence!" Akomaru yelled.

"You are pathetic, Akomaru," Shadam said. "To have her here this whole time and not realize. She is the reason I hate you, boy. It was because of you that she ran from me."

Akomaru rolled his hands into fists and glared at his mother. "You took Kou. You chose him over me."

"Kou…" Shadam said, unaware his former mistress had bore twins. Then it hit him. "Kou…my other son…the Kiba Ranger."

A glowing ring suddenly hovered into the warehouse. It was Kou's mother's ring. It had led the rangers onto the scene. The teens ran into the warehouse and snapped into fighting stances when they spotted Shadam and Akomaru.

"Gorma," Tommy cursed.

"Leave Kou's mother alone," Kimberly said.

Shadam opened his jaw and spat blue spheres of fire at the teens. The spheres exploded around them and blasted them outside.

They armed their morphers while being thrown backward. Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger armor.

The Rangers rolled back to their feet as Kyonshi surrounded them.

Dragon Ranger slammed a round kick against a soldier's gut and chopped a knifehand blow against the back of the grunt's neck. He turned to his right, blocked another blow, and right-outer crescent kicked the soldier, bashing his heel across the grunt's head.

A Kyonshi moved in towards the Red Ranger's right and swung a staff downward. Dragon Ranger turned and blocked the blow before slamming a sidekick against the soldier's face, bashing its head in.

Lion Ranger twirled his staff through a series of arcs while spinning past three soldiers. His staff crashed against the villains, crushing their skulls and cracking their bones. The Green Ranger used his staff to pole vault forward and scissor kicked two grunts aside.

Tenma Ranger jump kicked a soldier upside the head. He spun forward while moving low, sweep kicking the legs out from underneath a second grunt. The Blue Ranger rose back to full height while blocking a soldier's staff. Tenma Ranger slammed the back of his fist across the grunt's head. Tenma Ranger turned to his left and snapped an outer crescent kick across a soldier's head, bashing his heel against its skull.

Nearby, Gara armed her fencing-type saber and dashed towards the Blue Ranger.

Tenma Ranger spotted her approach through the corner of his visor. "Gara…"

She slashed upward diagonally, her blade sparking across the Ranger's armor upon impact.

Meanwhile, Zydos moved towards Kirin Ranger. The Yellow Ranger slammed a round kick against a soldier's head and smashed the back of his fist against the grunt's face.

Zydos grabbed Kirin Ranger by the throat and slammed an uppercut punch against the Yellow Ranger's gut.

Nearby, Phoenix Ranger charged back towards the warehouse. The Pink Ranger moved in low and kicked the legs out from under a soldier. She rose back to full height and flipped a Kyonshi over her shoulder.

The Pink Ranger was moving near the hole in the warehouse wall, where Akomaru stood in front of his mother. The Gorma boy watched the Pink Ranger's advance. She slammed her palm heel upside a soldier's head and spun forward while slamming an axe kick against another grunt's collar bone.

She palm heeled a soldier in front of her, elbowed a soldier behind her, and outer crescent kicked the first soldier.

Phoenix Ranger ran towards Kou's mom, but Akomaru extended his hand and fired a sphere of blue fire from his palm. The energy sphere exploded against the Pink Ranger's armor and knocked her backward.

Akomaru blew his whistle, giving his pet an unspoken command. The monster used an enlarging bomb to grow giant.

Dragon Ranger unsheathed his Thunder Sword and held the blade towards the air while grasping his Thunder Gem. "Thunderzord arise! Red Dragon!"

Red Dragon swooped downward towards its tamer. Dragon Ranger used his Thunder Blaster like a grappling hook to reel himself onto his zord. Red Ranger hopped into the cockpit embedded within the zord's armor.

"Red Dragon, rise up!" Dragon Ranger shouted. Red Dragon crackled with tendrils of crimson energy and assumed his humanoid warrior form. The zord landed and faced off with Akomaru's pet.

"Dragon Staff!" Dragon Ranger shouted. Red Dragon armed his black staff and slammed the weapon across the monster, sparking on impact.

The monster's eye lit up. The creature fired blinding, jagged streams of energy that exploded against Red Dragon with a massive burst of spark that tore across the zord's armor.

* * *

Daijinnryu still stood in the city and cast a looming shadow that spanned countless city blocks. The black dragon stirred, sensing the battle's disturbance, despite the distance.

Kaku still watched from the rooftops with growing concern. "What will you do…Daijinnryu…"

* * *

The other four Rangers continued their battle. Unnatural darkness had stretched over the skies above.

Gara wrapped a red energy tentacle around Lion Ranger and lifted him from his feet. She sent pulses of electricity along the energy strand that exploded against the Green Ranger's armor with a flurry of sparks.

Nearby, Tenma Ranger armed his blaster as dozens of soldiers charged towards him. "Thunder Blaster!" The Blue Ranger fired lances of cyan energy that exploded against soldiers, knocking them backward as sparks ripped across their bodies.

Tenma Ranger moved to his side and fired another burst of blue energy lances that exploded against another wave of Kyonshi.

Shadam extended his hand towards the Blue Ranger. The Gorma fired a sphere of flame from his palm that exploded against Tenma Ranger with a burst of spark that knocked him off his feet.

Meanwhile Zydos tossed Kirin Ranger, sending him crashing to the ground.

Phoenix Ranger was battling through soldiers towards Akomaru and his mom. Akomaru narrowed his eyes.

"Stop her…stop her!" Akomaru blew his whistle to signal his giant pet.

The giant looked downward and fired an optic pulse that exploded against the ground, creating a massive shockwave of rolling fire that knocked the Pink Ranger and Kyonshi backward.

"Kimberly!" Dragon Ranger shouted. "You'll pay for that, horn head!"

Red Dragon slammed a kick against the creature and slammed his staff against the monster.

"No!" Kou's mother broke free as she ran to Phoenix Ranger. She dropped to her knees at the Pink Ranger's side, tears running down her cheeks as she looked towards Shadam. "Haven't you caused enough pain in my life…the lives of everyone…whatever happened to the man you once were…"

"Silence!" Shadam shouted. "You worthless wench…you robbed me of my heir." He blasted her with energy spheres.

"Idiot!" Akomaru shouted. "I want her alive!"

"Shadam!" Byakko yelled as he left the possession of Dragon Ranger and streaked towards the ground below.

"What the…Byakko!" Dragon Ranger yelled as the saber flew down and struck Shadam across the face.

The saber stuck in the ground. "Kimberly, get her to safety."

Phoenix Ranger nodded as she rose to her feet, her body injured. Shadam growled as he ran towards the Pink Ranger.

Phoenix Ranger placed her fist against her palm as the phoenix eyes on her helmet flashed with power. "Heaven Wind Star! Whirl-wind destruction!" She extended her palm and fired a stream of twirling pink energy that slammed against Shadam and knocked him backward, sending him flying off his feet.

Above, Red Dragon swung his staff towards the creature. "Thunder Staff…Whirling Force!" Dragon Ranger shouted as the weapon energized. But the monster vanished before the staff could connect.

Below, Shadam pulled Byakko free from the ground and vanished with the saber.

"Byakko!" Kou's mother shouted.

Gara and Zydos turned as they teleported away, blinking from sight. Akomaru gave his mother a final glare before blinking out of vision.

The five teens all demorphed and joined around Kou's mother.

"Are you alright?" Kimberly asked.

She nodded. "Thank you…"

* * *

Everyone in the streets was staring up at Daijinnryu with shock. Kaku watched him as well as red lightning scorched the skies. Kaku shielded his eyes as the lightning struck and energized the giant dragon.

The dragon growled as its energy started flashing like an all-encompassing strobe light. The light hypnotized every civilian below. They each walked towards the rooftops like zombies.

"What…" Kaku said.

"Kaku!" Kameo yelled as he ran next to Kaku. "Daijinnryu, he has everyone under his control! If the fighting doesn't stop…he'll kill them all!"

* * *

Kaku, Kameo, Kou's mother, and the rangers regrouped in the lair.

"This is crazy," Tommy said. "If the Gorma attack again…which they will, all those people…" he shook his head.

"And what about Kou?" Rocky said. "We still have no idea where he is…or what will happen to him."

Kaku walked over to Kou's mother. "Kou's salvation will come from his mother," Kaku said. "The two must be reunited."

The mother nodded. "But I need Byakko…and Shadam has him…" she shook her head.

"What's the deal with you and Shadam," Rocky asked.

"Rocky," Tommy chided.

"It's alright," the mother said. "He's…the father…of Kou and Akomaru. No one knew that I had given birth to twins. In the Gorma tradition, the weaker of the twins is killed so that all the energy is transferred to the stronger. I couldn't bare to see that happen. I fled with Kou, believing him to be the stronger.

"I left Akomaru in the care of the Dai tribe in hopes that their healers would help him to grow strong. But…the Gorma found Akomaru and took him. I knew that someday the Gorma would try to find me again. I also feared that they might be drawn to Kou's power as they were to Akomaru's. I placed the tiger brand on Kou to seal the energy inside of him so he could not be found, then I fled, hoping to lure the Gorma away from my son."

The rangers stood silently. Tommy changed the subject. "So we have to get Byakko back to save Kou," he said.

* * *

Kou continued to sleep in his cave. Energy built inside of him.

* * *

An hour later, Kaku stood on the roof. His students came running to him. "Sensei," Tommy said. "What are you doing?"

"You must stay here and guard the city," Kaku said. "I will get Byakko back."

"How?" Tommy said. "And if we fight the Gorma…Daijinnryu will kill all these people."

"I won't let that happen," Kaku said. "And besides, if Kou becomes a full Gorma, Daijinnryu will be the least of your worries. Protect the city. Protect Kou's mother. I will bring back Byakko."

Tommy nodded. "Let's go," he said to his teammates as they ran off.

* * *

Akomaru and Shadam were standing on pillars while facing the emperor in the Gorma palace.

"Keep Shadam away from me!" Akomaru yelled as he tore off his mask. "Not only did he abandon me to be raised by the Shogun, it's his fault I lost my mother!"

"How many times have I told you not to show your face to me…" the emperor said as he nodded to one of the soldiers. The grunt jumped onto the pillar and grabbed Akomaru, restraining him as the pillar dropped.

Shadam grinned at the emperor. The emperor leaned back, a look of fear in his eyes.

* * *

Shadam joined the Triumvirate and other Gorma below as Akomaru was thrown to the floor of the palace. They all laughed mockingly at the small boy.

"Silence!" Akomaru shouted. "None of you…"

They continued to laugh. Akomaru shook his head and ran out.

The laughter stopped as Kaku stepped forward from the darkness and descended the stairs towards the Gorma.

"Kaku!" Byakko shouted from the hands of Zydos.

"Byakkoshinken belongs with me," Kaku said as he walked towards the Triumvirate.

"Stay back!" Gara shouted.

Shadam extended his hand in front of Gara before she could attack. Shadam wrinkled his brow and looked to Kaku. The villain had a plan.

* * *

Christmas bells were ringing in the night-lit city as Billy left a busy retail shopping district in downtown Angel Grove Central. He was with the guys and Kameo.

"How can we be out at a time like this?" Adam said.

"Well," Billy said. "We can't just mope around."

"We should be helping find Byakko," Rocky said.

Tommy rolled his hands up into fists. "Sensei…where are you?" he said quietly.

* * *

Back in Kimberly's apartment, Kou's mother was flipping through a picture book while looking at photos of Kou, Kimberly, and the others. "It looks like you've taken good care of him," she said.

Kimberly nodded from the kitchen area. "I tried at least." She brought tea and sat down at the table.

"Where is your mother?" Kou's mom asked.

Kimberly shrugged. "She's never around. She's either always at work or out…"

Kou's mom nodded. "I'm sorry."

Adam burst into the room. "Kimberly, it's Kaku. He's back."

* * *

Kaku was standing on a ledge in the subway system near the lair. He looked down at the rangers gathered below and tossed them Byakko.

"Sensei," Tommy said. "What's going on?"

"Take Byakko," Kaku said. "Use it to save Kou." He started to walk away.

"Sensei wait!" they shouted, but he was gone. Kou's mother took Byakko from Tommy's hands.

"Byakko," Tommy asked. "What's going on with Master Kaku?"

"He made a deal with the Gorma," Byakko said.

The others gasped in surprise.

"What kind of deal?" Tommy asked.

Byakko shook his head. "I'm not sure. I was busy being strangled by Zydos at the time."

Tommy sighed, rolling his hands into fists.

"Byakko," Kou's mother said as she slid her ring into his mouth. "This ring will help you guide us to my son."

"I will do my best," Byakko said. "Let's go!"

* * *

Akomaru stood on a cliff near the rocky shore. He looked downward as Billy's jeep drove by a dirt path. The boy clenched his jaw. "Don't let them find my brother," Akomaru told his pet.

The monster's eye started to glow, and he jumped away.

* * *

The jeep pulled to a halt around the cliffs. The rangers and Kou's mother were inside. "He's here," Byakko said.

"Could you be anymore vague," Rocky said sarcastically as he and the others hopped out.

"Something tells me he'll find us," Billy said.

* * *

The sun bled through an opening in Kou's cavern while the young ranger slept. The light shined across Kou's face. The boy squinted.

* * *

"This way," his mother said as she led the rangers towards the cave. "I can feel him…Kou!"

They ran up a rocky hill towards Kou's cavern. Kameo slipped and fell. Billy helped his friend up and continued to scramble upward.

* * *

Kou was screaming in pain as he tore his shirt and clutched onto his tiger brand. The brand was glowing bright red and illuminating the entire cavern.

* * *

The teens stopped in their tracks. They were not sure where to go next. Tommy looked to the tiger saber. "Byakko," Tommy said, "a little help."

"In that cave!" Byakko said. Crimson light bled from the cave that Byakko spoke of.

"Kou!" the mom shouted as she ran towards the cave.

Akomaru's pet appeared with a flash off dark light and blocked the cave. Akomaru stepped out from behind the monster and glared at his mother.

"Akomaru…" the mother said sorrowfully.

The Gorma boy narrowed his eyes. "Kou is beyond your help…he is a Gorma…like me…and there's nothing you can do about it!"

Akomaru opened his third eye, and his eyes started glowing red. The eyes of the boy's pet started radiating with red power as well. A crack split through the back of the monster, and Akomaru leapt inside, using the crack like a pouch to merge with the monster.

"Kameo," Tommy said. "Protect Kou's mom."

Kameo led Kou's mother aside. The older teen transformed into the giant, armored carrier zord. "Inside," he said. "You'll be safe." Kou's mother entered the zord for protection.

Tommy and the others readied their morphers. "It's time to take care of business," Tommy said.

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" They connected their braces. Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger armor.

"Destroy them!" Akomaru shouted.

The monster fired a volley of electric blasts from its silver horns. The blasts exploded against the Rangers' armor and knocked them backward.

Dragon Ranger and Lion Ranger rolled into crouched positions and sprang forward to attack the monster. They leapt through the air and angled their descent towards the creature.

"Thunder Sword!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he unsheathed his sword.

"Star Cutter!" Lion Ranger shouted while arming a shorter blade.

Akomaru extended his hand and fired a pulse of blue flame from his palm. The pulse exploded against the two Rangers' armor with a burst of spark and knocked them from the air.

Dragon Ranger and Lion Ranger crashed to the ground as the others regrouped around them.

"We're wasting time," Phoenix Ranger said. "We have to save Kou."

* * *

Kou continued to scream and pulse with energy. He sat up as white energy shimmered around him and his body matured. He morphed into the Kiba Ranger.

* * *

Dragon Ranger, Lion Ranger, and Tenma Ranger split up and aimed their Thunder Blasters at the monster. They fired lances of red, blue, and green energy at the creature. But Akomaru extended his hand, and the blasts reflected right back at the Rangers, exploding against their armor and knocking them backward.

The Rangers regrouped.

"That little bastard doesn't quit," Tenma Ranger said.

Kiba Ranger suddenly leapt from his cave and slammed a flying sidekick against Phoenix Ranger's helmet.

"Kou!" the Rangers shouted as they snapped into defensive stances.

"Ha!" Kiba Ranger shouted as he thrust his hands forward. Energy daggers swarmed around the Rangers, slashing across their armor with bursts of spark. The attack was a Gorma fighting technique.

"Kou, stop this!" Tenma Ranger shouted.

Daimugen returned to normal as Kou's mother ran towards the Rangers. "Kou!"

Kiba Ranger slammed a jump kick upside Lion Ranger's head and turned to his right, slamming the back of his fist across Tenma Ranger's helmet. The White Ranger snapped his leg to the left and slammed a hook kick across Kirin Ranger's helmet.

"Kou!" his mother shouted as she ran closer to Kiba Ranger.

Kameo was running after her as fast as his pudgy legs could carry him. "Stay back!"

Kiba Ranger leapt forward and scissor kicked Dragon Ranger and Phoenix Ranger backward. The two Rangers crashed against the ground and rolled back towards Kou's mom and Kameo.

The Rangers regrouped and snapped into fighting stances.

The White Ranger sprang upward into the air and raised his Thunder Gem. "Thunderzord arise! White Tiger!"

The White Tigerzord appeared in its warrior mode and landed on the ground. Kiba Ranger flipped forward and entered the cockpit embedded in his zord's armor.

The Rangers unsheathed their Thunder Swords and raised the weapons while grasping their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords arise!"

The five Thunderzords appeared, charging over the landscape. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he called out. "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords started to change shape and reconfigure as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold and black helmet slid into place.

The Rangers joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

"MegaThunderzord Saber!" Dragon Ranger shouted. Dairenou unsheathed his curved blade.

Below, Akomaru closed his Gorma third eye, hopped off his creature, and blew his whistle, commanding the monster to grow giant. Akomaru's pet expanded and raised to the level of the MegaThunderzord and White Tiger.

* * *

Daijinnryu flashed with blinding power and commanded people to jump from buildings. Civilians under his spell leapt to their deaths.

"Stop Daijinnryu!" Kaku yelled as he used his Ki to catch people and land them safely.

The dragon growled with frustration. The massive beast bent its legs and pushed off, soaring back through the skies. Daijinnryu decided a more direct assault was in order again. The demon dragon flew towards the Gorma palace.

* * *

White Tiger fired bursts of electric flame from the tiger jaws on its chest. The blasts exploded against the MegaThunderzord, sparking across armor upon impact. MegaThunderzord crashed to the ground.

Below, Akomaru blew his whistle, commanding the creature to open fire on the MegaThunderzord.

"Stop Akomaru!" his mother yelled.

Akomaru glared back at his mother, then looked back up at his monster. "Destroy them!"

"Akomaru…you have to stop! I love you…I'm so sorry!"

Akomaru's breath caught in his throat as he dropped the whistle. His eyes opened wide. He slowly turned to face his mother. "How can you say that…you left me…"

"I had no choice…I had to leave you…" His mother pleaded. "I thought I was protecting you from your father. From the Gorma."

Akomaru felt emotions long denied him. They confused him. Scared him. He used his anger to push them away. "You…stay away from me…stay away!" Akomaru yelled as he ran off.

Above, the monster and White Tiger watched Akomaru run off. Dragon Ranger took advantage of their distraction and leapt from the MegaThunderzord. He flipped through the air and entered the White Tiger's cockpit.

Dragon Ranger pounced against Kiba Ranger and slammed a knifehand strike against the White Ranger's neck, knocking him unconscious.

* * *

Akomaru ran as fast as he could. He tried to outrun his own confusion. His own fear. The boy collapsed, his body weak. He started to cry, for the first time, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Shadam slowly stepped behind his son.

"Stay back," Akomaru said as he rose to his feet, keeping his back to his father.

"Hmph," Shadam said as he circled around Akomaru. "Now you know why I hate you, Akomaru. When your mother left me…she left you behind. You are the reason she ran away from my life. That is why I turned you over to the Shogun to be raised. I couldn't stand the sight of you."

Akomaru narrowed his eyes. "Bastard," he cursed.

"Such a foul tongue for a child," Shadam said as he extended his palm and blasted his son with pulses of blue fire. The blasts exploded against the boy and knocked him off his feet. Shadam spat at Akomaru and left.

Akomaru slowly started to crawl away, his body damaged. His thoughts drifted to his brother. "Kou…"

* * *

Akomaru's pet was out of control as it smashed through the mountains, pulverizing rock and spreading debris.

Below, Dragon Ranger leapt to the ground with Kou in his arms. Dragon Ranger handed the unconscious boy to his mother. "Do what you have to do," Dragon Ranger said as he pulled out Byakko and handed the saber to Kou's mom.

Kou's mom nodded. She took Kou and Byakko and ran towards the cave.

Dragon Ranger leapt through the air and rejoined his team in the Megazord cockpit. "Kou's with his mother," he said. "We have to give them time to do…whatever it is they need to do."

The monster fired blinding strands of energy that exploded against the MegaThunderzord's armor.

* * *

The ground shook from the battle above. Kou's mother struggled to keep her balance within the cave. She placed her ring in Byakko's mouth again. She raised the saber and whispered a spell. Blue light shot from Byakko and blasted through the cave's ceiling. Kou's mom was knocked over by rubble.

"Byakko," she said as she stood and raised the saber again. This time Byakko was struck by blue lightning as she screamed. Then she walked over to Kou with the saber.

She placed the saber over Kou, and his body was baptized in the blue energy. As Kou began to float, his tiger brand began to glow, and small explosions rang throughout the cavern and knocked Kou's mother off her feet.

She placed Byakko in the ground and ran over to Kou, hugging him as she screamed his name. More rubble fell as the ground shook with a violent tremor. Her tears fell on his tiger brand, and it started to glow blue once more.

Kou opened his eyes slowly. "Mother…"

"Kou!" they hugged. "Oh my son, I love you so much."

"Mother…" Kou said, holding his mother tight. He was not even sure if she was real or a dream. He did not care.

Byakko shouted. "Be careful…the battle outside is…"

A violent tremor shook the cave. Rubble fell from above towards mother and son. Kou's mom pushed her son out of the way as a giant boulder collapsed on the bottom half of her body. Stone continued to fall as Kou ran to his mother's side.

"Mother!" He ran to her.

"Get out of here Kou!"

"No," Kou said frantically as he tried to push the boulder off his mom. "You have to get free!"

"Kou…you have to go," she said. "You are the Kiba Ranger…you have to help your friends."

"But mother…"

"Please, Kou," she said. "And please understand, Kou…I was only trying to protect you. You and your brother. I never stopped loving either of you."

Tears streamed down Kou's cheeks as he tried to pull his mother free. "Mom…get up…"

"Go," she said as she touched his face. She screamed as more rocks started to fall. She pushed Kou out of the way as a rock wall piled up and separated the mother and son.

"Mother!" Kou shouted as he tried to fight against the falling rocks, the ground threatening to shake him off his feet.

"Kou!" Byakko shouted. "Where are you Kou!"

Kou grabbed Byakko and left the cavern. He screamed with anger as tears streamed down his face.

* * *

Akomaru continued to limp. The ground beneath him collapsed from a tremor, and he crashed into the bottom of a cavern. His bones were broken. His vision started to blur.

Akomaru looked up to see his mother trapped.

"Akomaru…" his mother whispered, choked with grief at the sight of her child. She extended her hand.

Akomaru slowly crawled forward. His strength was gone. His emotions as shattered as his body. He removed his glove and reached out for his mother's hand, struggling to move forward as the ground shook.

They grabbed hands.

"I'm sorry…Akomaru…" she whispered. "Love you…"

"Mother…" Tears streamed down the boy's cheeks. For the first time in his life, he knew he was loved.

The cave collapsed around them.

* * *

Kou wiped the tears from his eyes and stood. He looked up at the battle between the MegaThunderzord and the monster.

_You are the Kiba Ranger_, his mother had told him.

Kou tightened his fists as he armed his morpher. "Chakra ignite!" he shouted, fierce determination in his voice. "Kiba Power!" He inserted his key into his brace. Energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his Ranger form.

Kiba Ranger extended Byakko into the air. "White Tiger!"

The White Tigerzord stomped to the scene, its four legs pumping with might. Kiba Ranger leapt into his zord's cockpit and inserted Byakko in the forward control console. "White Tiger! Rise up!"

The Tigerzord pulsed with energy as it transformed into its warrior shape. The zord armed a curved golden blade.

"Let's go you monster!" Kiba Ranger shouted.

"Kou…" Dragon Ranger said. "Welcome back."

"Kou," Phoenix Ranger said.

"I knew the kid had it in him," Tenma Ranger said.

Daimugen the carrier zord stomped towards the others. "Let's finish this fight," he said.

"Ultra Thunder! Star Fusion!" Kiba Ranger shouted.

The Lion, Tenma, Kirin, and Phoenix formed a chariot that hovered through the skies. Red Dragon twirled his staff like a helicopter propeller to fly upward and land on the chariot.

White Tiger assumed his beast form and slid into the shell of Daimugen. The carrier zord returned to his four-legged form as the Thunder Chariot landed on top of the shell.

"UltraThunderzord!" the Rangers shouted as they joined in Dragon Ranger's cockpit.

Red Dragon spun its staff like a propeller as the Ultrazord hovered in midair. Red Dragon then swung his staff downward, but kept the staff spinning.

"UltraThunderzord! Lightning Wave!" the White Ranger shouted.

A torrent of rushing white energy blasted from the staff as the carrier zord fired massive pulse blasts from its side-mounted cannons and jaw. The wave of energy splashed around the monster, ripping off its skin and vaporizing the creature. Not a single ash remained.

* * *

The sun was setting in the distance. Kou stood on the rocky shore and stared out at the water. The teens walked up behind him.

"Kou," Kimberly whispered as she slowly walked up behind him.

"Phoenix Ranger…" Kou said, trying to hide his tears. "My mother, she…"

Kou broke down and cried. He turned to Kimberly and ran towards her, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. Kimberly ran her hand along the back of his head. "Shhh…"

"Kou," Tommy said as he removed his jacket and wrapped it around the boy. "It will be okay…we'll take care of you."

Kaku watched from a cliff above. The Sensei turned to face Shadam. "Shadam," he growled. "Do you see what this war has caused…he's only a child."

"If he's truly my offspring, he'll be strong enough to shake it off," Shadam said. The Gorma walked towards Kaku. "You know as well as I, the only way to stop this war. And to do that…you'll have to go through me."

"You seem to be in a hurry to be defeated," Kaku said.

Shadam laughed. "Our emperor is weak…I should rule the throne, but in order to do that, I must defeat you, Gorma General Kaku."

* * *

A week passed. It was Christmas Eve. Kimberly was out Christmas shopping and looked sorrowfully at mothers and their sons. She returned to her apartment a few minutes later.

Kou was at Kimberly's apartment window looking outside. He glanced at the ring in his hand and pictured his mother's face.

Then the door opened. "I'm back!" Kimberly said.

"What'd you get?" Kou asked as he ran towards her, a smile on his face. "Is it cold out?"

Kimberly placed her cold hands on his face. "Hey," he laughed and backed away while pushing her hands aside.

They sat and smiled as they lit candles on a Christmas cake. Byakko chuckled as he watched. They toasted their glasses as the snow outside started to fall.

**To be continued…**


	26. The Sting of Betrayal

**The Sting of Betrayal**

Kimberly was running down the streets towards the entrance to the lair. Tommy ran after her, and they met up at a corner while continuing to run.

"Kimberly, what is it?" Tommy asked as he ran through the streets after her.

"What could this mean," Billy said as he felt the wall.

"What the hell happened," Tommy said as he ran over to the wall.

"Kaku's gone," Rocky said. "Looks like he hired a few masons before he left."

* * *

Kaku stood on the mountains outside the city, staring at the sunset. _They must have found the lair by now…they'll never know how much I will miss them…how proud I am…_

"What troubles you, General?" a man said as he walked up the Kaku. The man's name was First Lieutenant Zilong. He wore a dark robe with red trimming. Zilong sighed at the sight of Kaku. "You're thinking about your students. I am sure you taught them well, but the Gorma need you more. Many of us are hoping that if you defeat Shadam, earning the right to take the emperor's throne, that you will be able to end this war."

"I wish there was another way," Kaku said.

Zilong nodded. "It was Shadam's right to challenge you. His claim to emperor is seconded only by you."

"Which means if I lose…a man even more insane than the current emperor will lead our people."

"You won't loose," Zilong said.

Kaku nodded. "Are you ready?"

Zilong nodded and transformed into a monster covered with bulky, thick black armor. Only his third eye was visible through his faceplate.

* * *

Tommy was walking with Rocky through an outside shopping area that wrapped around the subway station. Rocky looked to his leader. "So really Tommy, what do you think happened?"

Tommy shook his head. "I can't even begin to guess. Things just keep getting crazier and crazier."

People on a lower level of the streets started to scream and run in panic. Tommy and Rocky darted to the railing and looked down. They saw dark-armored Zilong walking forward with an intricate golden lance slung over his right shoulder.

"Gorma," Tommy cursed as he activated his communicator to alert the others.

"Maybe bucket-head will have some answers," Rocky said.

Tommy and Rocky leapt over the railing and landed on the lower level of the streets. The others ran from the subway system and joined the two rangers. They all dashed forward towards the monster while arming their braces. "Chakra ignite!"

Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their armor and continued their charge towards the Gorma warrior.

Zilong easily continued his stride. He slammed the back of his fist across the Yellow Ranger's helmet. He grabbed a kick from Tenma Ranger and hurled the Blue Ranger backward by the leg. The Gorma slammed a punch against Lion Ranger's gut and moved forward while slamming his fist against Phoenix Ranger's faceplate. The Gorma bashed the back of his fist across Dragon Ranger's head.

The Rangers regrouped and looked towards the Gorma. The villain sprang upward and leapt through the air, landing on the roof of a skyscraper. The Gorma mounted the staff against the roof.

The five Rangers energized and leapt onto the rooftop.

"Gorma," Dragon Ranger said as he assumed a fighting stance. "What is Shadam up to this time?"

The staff energized and struck the Rangers with a burst of golden light that exploded against their armor.

"I don't know what that thing is, but I don't like it," Dragon Ranger said. "Let's bomb 'im."

The Rangers scattered into formation and extended their hands into the air. Streaks of cyan energy formed spheres between their palms. They lowered the spheres to their chests. "Bomber, set."

"Kiryoku!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

"Bomber!" they shouted together as they thrust the spheres forward. The energy spheres combined into a single golden energy blast that streaked towards the Gorma.

A red-armored figure suddenly dropped in front of Zilong and used a double-edge sword to deflect the golden Kiryoku blast. The dark-red suit of armor was a harmony of styles, from Greco-Roman to ancient Japanese. Only the Gorma third-eye was visible above the faceplate.

"Bastard," Dragon Ranger said as he and the other Rangers stepped back into fighting stances. "Who do you think you are?"

The armored stranger reached up and removed his faceplate. It was Kaku. He had a Gorma third eye, that his brown headband had covered for centuries.

"Sensei?" Dragon Ranger gasped as he and the others took a step back. They were not sure what to expect.

Kaku looked at each Ranger, his gaze stern. "Tommy, Adam, Rocky, Billy, Kimberly…the Power Rangers are no more. Do not interfere with what we are doing."

Dragon Ranger tightened his fists. "Kaku, what the hell is going on?"

"What's with the eye," Tenma Ranger said as he shook his head. "You can't be…"

"Rangers," Kaku said. "It is time for this war to end. The only way for that to happen is for me to rejoin the Gorma."

"That's crazy!" Lion Ranger shouted.

"How?" Phoenix Ranger said. "How could you do this?"

"I grow weary of battling, as do you," Kaku said. "The five of you each have your own hopes, your own dreams. You've been involved in this petty war for far too long. Live your lives…live your dreams…you need to fight no longer. I'm doing this for you."

"We can't just give up," Dragon Ranger said.

"You must," Kaku said as he teleported away with Zilong.

* * *

Rocky slammed a fist against a wall in Kimberly's apartment. "Sensei has officially lost his mind. How could he join the Gorma? They're the bad guys! Did he forget that they're the bad guys?"

"He said he's doing this for us," Billy said. "He said he can stop this war. Maybe we should stop fighting."

"Stop?!" Tommy said. "As long as we have these powers, we're going to use them."

Adam nodded. "Tommy's right. We can't just sit on the side lines and let people get hurt."

"I'm still not sure what Sensei is trying to accomplish," Kimberly said as she shook her head. "I wish Zordon would come back."

"We need more answers," Tommy said. "Guys, let's go wait by that spear. Maybe he'll come back to it."

"What's the point…" Rocky said.

"Rocky," Tommy said.

"What's the point?" Rocky shouted with frustration. "What are we going to do? Fight him?"

"Guys, that's enough," Kimberly said.

* * *

Kaku was in his private chambers within the Gorma palace. He was sharpening the edge of his sword, refining the old blade which he had not used for 6,000 years. Zilong opened the door and entered.

"General," Zilong said. "I have yet to place the second spear."

Kaku nodded. He kept his eyes fixed on the sword.

Zilong sighed. "I know you're fearful that the Rangers will try to stop me again…but that's a risk we'll have to take. This is bigger than them, my general. This is about giving you the power to end this war."

"Go then," Kaku said. He turned and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Shadam entered the room with an arrogant grin on his face. "Feel good to be back, Kaku?" Shadam said as he smiled. "I heard you ran into your old students? I would have loved to have seen their faces."

"They were wearing their helmets, you idiot," Kaku said.

"Tenma Ranger's wit," Shadam said. "You're closer to them than you'll admit. Did you get them to disband? That was part of the deal when I gave you Byakkoshinken. After I defeat you, I can't have them trying to stop me. The last thing I need is Daijinnryu in my hair."

"No," he said.

"What?" Shadam grabbed Kaku by the jacket. "We had a deal."

Kaku pushed Shadam away. "The deal was that I would fight you for the throne of the emperor and tell the Rangers not to interfere. I told them just that."

Shadam glared at Kaku. "If they try and fight…try to stop this…Daijinnryu will come."

* * *

Adam, Billy, and Kimberly were back at the brick wall wrapping around their lair. Adam ran his fingers along the lines of brick. One of the bricks felt out of place. He tapped the brick. Nothing happened. He tapped around the brick. The brick slid out.

The stone wall opened. But the lair was completely empty.

"It's all gone," Kimberly said.

"He must have taken everything," Billy said.

The teens moved into a rear chamber near a stairwell. Only their Thunder Cycles remained.

"Why would he have left these?" Kimberly asked. "He took everything else."

Adam placed his hands on his cycle's handles. "Maybe he's trying to tell us something."

* * *

Rocky and Tommy were at the lance Zilong had stuck in the rooftop.

"Think they'll find a way in?" Rocky asked.

Tommy shrugged. "I don't know. I hope so…there are too many unanswered questions."

"You mean like this thing," Rocky said as he walked around the golden spear.

Tommy nodded. "Yeah."

Rocky reached out to touch the lance. Golden energy shot forth, electrocuting Rocky and knocking the teen backward.

"Rocky, are you alright?" Tommy said as he moved to help his friend up.

"Yeah…" Rocky said as he climbed back to his feet. "Careful…that thing bites."

They heard screaming and honking come from the streets below. The two rangers ran to the railing and looked down. Zilong was in his monster form, carrying another lance. This lance was dull silver.

"Déjà vu," Rocky said.

Tommy and Rocky ran down the fire escape while alerting the other rangers. Tommy activated his communicator. "Guys…Kaku's friend is back. Get over here now."

* * *

Kou and Kameo were in Kimberly's apartment when the young ranger heard Tommy's call. Kou bolted towards the door, but Kameo held the boy back.

"Wait…" Kameo said as Kou struggled. "Stay here. They told you to stay here. This Gorma is too dangerous!"

"Let me go!" Kou screamed.

* * *

The teens regrouped on the streets and followed the monster from behind. Zilong continued to stomp forward through the vacated streets.

"So are we just following him or what?" Rocky asked.

"I wanna know what he's up to," Tommy said.

Police sirens came from around a corner behind the rangers. A squad of cars and a SWAT van pulled onto the street. Officers piled out of their vehicles and aimed their weapons at the Gorma. The teens ducked behind a corner.

The officers opened fire, their bullets sparking harmlessly against the Gorma's armor.

Zilong fired an optic burst that streamed towards the cops and exploded. The shockwave blasted each officer down and destroyed a patrol car, the vehicle erupting into flames.

The teens ran to the fallen cops to help them back to their feet.

Rocky checked one of the cop's pulse and shook his head. "This one is dead," Rocky said. "We have to stop him."

Tommy rolled his hands up into fists. He and the others stood between the officers and Gorma while arming their morphers.

"Guys…it's morphin time!" Tommy shouted.

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around them as they connected their braces and morphed into their Ranger forms. They unsheathed their swords and charge forward to attack.

* * *

Kou ran from Kimberly's apartment building. Kameo struggled to keep up with the boy. "Kou wait! Stop!"

Kaku suddenly appeared in the young ranger's path. Kou skid to a halt and tripped backward, crashing onto his tailbone.

"Sensei…" Kou said as he rose back to his feet, his eyes open wide at the sight of Kaku in his Gorma armor.

Kaku extended his hand. "Your Heaven-Star Thunder Gem…give it to me."

Kameo shook his head. "What?"

"Don't make me take them by force," Kaku said.

Kou shook his head. "No…"

Kaku grabbed Kou by the arm and took the boy's gem and morpher. "Stop!" Kou shouted. He activated his communicator. "Phoenix Ranger help!" Kou shouted into his communicator, but Kaku took that too. Then he pushed Kou to the ground.

* * *

Dragon Ranger swung his Thunder Sword towards the monster's head. Zilong blocked the blow with a double-edged sword and knocked the Ranger's sword away.

The Red Ranger spun and swung his sword back around towards the monster's gut. Zilong parried the blow and kicked the Red Ranger aside.

Phoenix Ranger moved in behind the monster. Zilong snapped around and swung his blade upward, slashing across the Pink Ranger's armor with a burst of spark and whipping her body backward.

Tenma Ranger moved in high while Lion Ranger moved in low, each with their Thunder Swords. Zilong swatted them both away with a single swipe from his sword.

Kirin Ranger speared his sword towards the villain. The Gorma parried the blow and stepped forward. Zilong slammed the handle of his weapon across the Yellow Ranger's head like a club.

Kirin Ranger fell backward as the Rangers regrouped. They stood in defensive stances as Zilong faced them.

"Stop Rangers," Zilong said. "This must be done for General Kaku."

"_General_ Kaku?" Dragon Ranger said.

Tenma Ranger shouted with rage as he leapt towards the monster. Zilong fired a crimson optic blast that exploded against the Blue Ranger and knocked him from the air. Tenma Ranger crashed to the ground. The Rangers regrouped around him and helped him to his feet.

Zilong glared at the Rangers with his eye. "This must be done for General Kaku to succeed. Nothing will stand in my way…you were warned."

Zilong fired another optic blast that exploded against the Rangers' armor with a massive burst of sparks. The Rangers crashed to the ground as the Gorma stalked towards them.

"Sensei…" Dragon Ranger said as he struggled to rise to his feet. "What have you done?"

The Rangers sprang forward and charged at the villain. Zilong batted them aside one-by-one, using his blade to slash across their armor, sparking on impact with each powerful blow.

The villain leapt upward and landed on the roof of a small building.

Dragon Ranger stood below as the dragon eyes on his helmet flashed with blue power. "Heaven Fire Star! Lightning Flames of Destruction!"

Dragon Ranger thrust his Thunder Sword and Star Cutter forward. He fired a stream of electric fire that exploded against the villain and sent him crashing backward.

"All right," Tenma Ranger said as the Rangers regrouped.

Zilong dropped the lance and pulled out an enlargement grenade. He tossed the bomb to the ground, and it exploded. Zilong absorbed the energy from the explosion and used it to grow giant.

The giant Zilong started slashing his sword through buildings.

"It's time to take care of business, guys," Dragon Ranger said.

The Rangers unsheathed their Thunder Swords and raised the weapons while grasping their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords arise!"

The five Thunderzords appeared, charging over the landscape. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he called out. "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords started to change shape and reconfigure as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold and black helmet slid into place.

The Rangers joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

Zilong fired an optic blast that exploded against the Megazord, sparking against its armor.

MegaThunderzord stepped forward and slammed its armored fists against the villain, but the blows barely managed to dent the Gorma's armor. Zilong fired an optic blast at near point-blank range that exploded against the MegaThunderzord with a massive burst of spark.

"That is _it_!" Dragon Ranger shouted. "MegaThunderzord Saber!"

Kaku ran below them. "Stop Dairenou!"

"MegaThunderzord Saber, Lightning Slash!" MegaThunderzord energized its blade with lightning and swung downward. The blade slashed through Zilong, causing the Gorma to crash backward as his armor exploded.

* * *

Zilong returned to his normal-sized human form below. He limped towards Kaku. "General…" he said as he crawled forward. He was badly injured and seconds away from death.

"No," Kaku said as he ran to his friend's side.

"I am sorry…general…"

Kaku shook his head and lifted Zilong slightly.

The teens gathered around, unsure of what to think or do.

"General…save our people…" Zilong said with his last breath. His body disintegrated and turned to ash in Kaku's hands. Kaku rolled his hands into tight fists.

General Kaku stood and turned to glare at his former students. He thrust his hands forward and fired five energy tentacles that wrapped around the teens, tightening while pinning their arms at their sides.

"I told you not to interfere!" Kaku shouted.

"He was killing people!" Tommy shouted. "What happened to your heart, Sensei."

Kaku released them. The teens crashed to the ground. Kaku shook his head. "You don't understand," Kaku said.

"Then tell us," Tommy said as he and the others rose to their feet.

"I did not betray you to the Gorma," Kaku said. "I am Gorma. Thousands of years ago, I was one of their generals. The Chief of Staff. That man you killed, my friend, was a member of the royal guard. I was as power hungry then as Shadam is now. I was next in line to be emperor. But then I changed. During the end of the war, I escaped with Ryuseiou.

"Now, Shadam has challenged me to a duel. I accepted his challenge in exchange for Byakkoshinken. If he defeats me, he will become emperor. If I win…I will lead the Gorma. I will end the war. Those spears were designed to enhance my strength during the duel."

Kaku picked up the spear and slammed it into the ground. "For the last time…you must not interfere!"

"Phoenix Ranger!" Kou shouted as he ran to the scene with Kameo. Kou ran to Tommy. "He took my morpher and my gem."

Tommy leaned down to Kou. "What?"

"It's true," Byakko said as he peaked his head out.

Tommy rose and glared at Kaku. "Why?" Tommy asked.

"Because, Tommy. Now the five of you must hand yours over too," Kaku said.

"And what if more of your friends decide to trash the city? What if you go as insane as the current emperor?" Tommy asked.

"Hand them over or I will take them from you!" Kaku said.

"No." Tommy said. "If we give up our powers, and the Gorma attack again…" Tommy shook his head. "No."

Kaku sighed. "I will give you time to reach your final decision. Meet me at the quarry in five hours."

Kaku blinked away.

* * *

The team gathered in Kimberly's apartment.

"How can he be doing this to us!" Rocky shouted. "We can't just surrender our powers. What if he loses? What if Gara or Zydos attacks while Kaku's dueling with Shadam?"

The other teens were silent.

Tommy walked outside to the balcony. Kimberly followed him.

"Are you alright?" Kimberly asked.

"No," Tommy said. "I trusted him, Kimberly…now I don't know what to think. My father joined the Gorma…maybe his original intention was to end the war, but…we both know what happened to him."

* * *

The teens ran to the quarry five hours later as told. Kaku looked down on them from a cliff. Then he jumped down to face them.

"Hand them over," General Kaku said as he extended his hand.

Tommy shook his head. "We can't…it's too risky, and quite frankly, we don't know if we can trust you anymore."

"We can't just give up, sensei," Adam said.

"You were warned," Kaku said as he started walking towards them.

"Now, calm down sensei," Rocky said as he took a step back.

Kaku dashed past the teens in a blur of red motion, slamming them off their feet. Kaku landed on the other side of the rangers. He turned and watched them climb to their feet. Kaku thrust his hand forward and summoned a gust of wind that smashed against the teens and knocked them backward.

"Stop this, sensei!" Rocky yelled.

Kaku extended his hand. Explosions blasted around the teens, creating massive shockwaves that slammed against them and sent them tumbling across the ground.

Tommy screamed with rage as he sprang forward and charged towards sensei. Kaku lashed out with a red energy whips that wrapped around Tommy and snapped him off the ground.

Kaku lifted Tommy off his feet and crashed him against a stone wall. Kaku released the energy lasso, and Tommy crashed against the ground. The other rangers ran to his side to regroup.

Tommy readied his morpher. "Chakra…ignite," he said through a clenched jaw. "Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around them as they connected their braces and morphed into their Ranger forms.

The Rangers and Kaku circled around each other. The Gorma Triumvirate watched the battle from above. "Idiots," Shadam said. "This is working out better than I planned."

"Let's go!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he leapt towards Kaku.

Dragon Ranger armed his Thunder Staff and swung the weapon downward while landing. Kaku sidestepped and slammed the back of his fist across the Red Ranger's helmet. Dragon Ranger spun around and swung the staff back towards Kaku's head. Kaku used his arm to block the blow, sidekicked Dragon Ranger in the gut, and smashed a knife-hand chop against the back of the Red Ranger's neck.

Dragon Ranger crashed against the ground and rolled to his knees. He rose back to his feet and thrust his hands forward. "Fire Stream!"

The fire stream wrapped around Kaku without touching him. Kaku extended his hand and sent the fire back towards Dragon Ranger. The fire exploded against the Red Ranger's armor and knocked him backward.

Kirin Ranger armed his Thunder Blaster and fired lances of yellow energy at Kaku. Sensei lifted his hand and used his palm to deflect the blasts.

The Yellow Ranger lowered his blaster and charged forward to attack. Kirin Ranger pounced towards Kaku and swung the handle of the Thunder Blaster towards sensei's head. Kaku caught Kirin Ranger by the arm, roundkicked him in the side, and hurled him through the air.

Tenma Ranger placed his fist against his palm. The Pegasus eyes on his helmet flashed with blue power.

"Heaven Gravity Star! Gravity Inversing Destruction!" Tenma Ranger thrust his hand forward and fired a jagged wave of gravity power.

Kaku reflected the beam back at the Blue Ranger. The beam exploded around the ground with a massive burst of flame and sent Tenma Ranger falling up the side of the quarry. He started tumbling back downward when the gravity power faded.

Lion Ranger placed his palm against his fist. The lion eyes on his helmet flashed with pale-green light.

"Heaven Illusion Star! Mist Concealment Destruction!" Lion Ranger extended his hand and launched a cloud of mist that surrounded Kaku.

Kaku created an illusion before Lion Ranger had a chance. Kaku projected an image of a rolling train that passed through Lion Ranger while exploding against his armor.

Phoenix Ranger leapt forward. "Cyclone!" She created a swirling vortex of pink energy that Kaku directed right back at her. The Pink Ranger crashed against the ground as the others regrouped around her.

"Stop!" Byakko yelled as he zoomed through the air. Kaku lifted his hand and caused an explosion against Byakko that knocked the saber from the air.

Kou and Kameo ran onto the scene.

"Phoenix Ranger!" Kou shouted.

"Billy, guys, are you alright?" Kameo shouted. They did not answer.

The Rangers regrouped. "Kiryoku Bazooka!" The bazooka materialized above the Rangers as they stood in formation. The bazooka slowly lowered. Lion Ranger, Tenma Ranger, Kirin Ranger, and Phoenix Ranger stood on the sides of the weapon. They inserted their Star Cutters into the bazooka's casing to hold the weapon. Dragon Ranger crouched down and aimed the weapon over his shoulder.

Phoenix Ranger loaded each of the Rangers' gems into the cannon. The bazooka whined with energy as the Rangers aimed forward.

"Kiryoku Bazooka," Dragon Ranger said. "Fire!" the bazooka nearly blasted itself out of the Rangers' hands as it fired a massive discharge of energy. The energy blast streaked forward, a comet of power. The blast exploded against Kaku, knocking him backward.

The Rangers lowered the cannon.

"Oh man, we hurt him," Tenma Ranger said.

Kaku rose to his feet. He raised his hands and shouted an incantation in Japanese as the two spears Zilong placed in the city joined energy strings and struck Kaku, infusing him with power.

Kaku formed a sphere of energy that thrashed with violent lightning bolts in between his hands. The Rangers' could feel its power, even from a distance. Kaku hurled the energy bolt forward. The blast exploded against the Rangers' armor with a massive burst of sparks and flame, creating a shockwave that tore across the ground, kicking up rubble and debris.

The teens' armor powered down as they crashed against the ground and skid backward.

Tommy limped to his feet and limped towards Kaku. The ranger's body was bruised, burned, and battered. "We…can't let you do this.." Tommy grabbed Kaku by the cape. "Please…"

Kaku punched Tommy in the stomach, and he passed out.

* * *

Tommy slowly regained consciousness and sat up, as did the others.

"Guys," Kou said. He was leaning down next to them with a bottle of water and rags.

"They're alright," Kameo said.

"Kou," Tommy said as the young one helped him up.

"It was Kaku," Kou said. "He took your morphers and your gems."

"What?" Tommy said.

They all checked their pockets and jackets. They found no gems. No morphers. Tommy rolled his hands into fists and clenched his jaw. "Kaku!" Tommy shouted.

**To be continued…**


	27. Powerless

**Powerless**

A week-and-a-half passed. Rocky ran through the streets in his blue jogging outfit. He pushed himself to the limit, trying to escape his problems. Trying to flee from the unanswered questions his former sensei had left him. Unanswered fears.

He jogged past the Center Grove Promenade in Angel Grove Central. Billy's INET shop was nearby.

* * *

Billy was working in his newly opened shop and waiting on a customer. "I can't get my VCR to stop blinking 12," an elderly lady told him.

Billy sighed. "That's really not what we do here…but I can take care of it."

Billy noticed Rocky outside. The former Blue Ranger was pacing back and forth, debating if he actually wanted to come inside. Billy left his shop and walked out.

"Hey Billy," Rocky said. They both tried their best to hide the awkwardness. "I see you have your shop up and running."

"Yeah…business is booming. How have you been?" Billy asked.

"Oh just exercising. I have to keep it up if I'm going to go professional someday," Rocky said.

"Cool," Billy said. Their smiles faded as they sighed.

"Well," Rocky said. "I better get going. Later."

"Later," Billy said as Rocky ran off.

* * *

In her apartment, Kimberly passed Kou a plate as they ate dinner. They were sitting at a small table in her living room.

"Thanks," Kou said. "So…When are we going to get our morphers back?"

"We can't," Kimberly said.

"We have to," Kou said.

"Kou…we're not Rangers anymore."

"We have to be," Kou said. "My mother told me…" he slammed the ring on the table. "She told me it was my responsibility!"

Kou bolted from the table and ran from the apartment. He left the ring behind.

"Kou!" Kimberly called after him.

She looked down to the ring on the table. She picked the ring up and placed it in her palm. She knew Kou was right. They could not continued to sit around and pretend like their lives were normal. But what could they do?

* * *

Billy was fiddling with a small digital invention when he noticed something scurry beneath his desk. He looked below. It was a turtle, of all things.

Billy's thoughts drifted to his friend Kameo. Even when Kameo thought he was powerless, he had tried to help Billy and the others. Kameo was far from courageous, and yet he was brave enough to accept his destiny despite his fear.

Billy picked up the turtle.

* * *

A motorcyclist nearly ran Rocky off the sidewalk. "Hey!" he shouted as the motorist passed him by. Then a public telephone along a nearby building started to ring. Rocky walked over and answered, putting the receiver to his ear.

"Hiiiiiii!" a squeaky voice on the other end of the phone said. "Did you miss us?"

Rocky snapped his head around when he heard the same voice coming from a nearby ledge. He turned to see the Three-Stupid Gorma standing on the ledge. Rocky had met the Gorma three times. The first time the group kidnapped Tommy's sister, the second time they tricked Rocky into believing they wanted to defect from the Gorma, the third time they managed to convince Rocky of their desire to change by sacrificing their lives to save him.

Which brought up the question of how they appeared alive and speaking to him. And why no passersby seemed to notice.

They vanished as quickly as they appeared. Rocky shook his head, convincing himself he was just daydreaming.

He pulled a small bandana from his pocket. It reminded him of the Three Stupid Gorma's sacrifice. It had belonged to their leader.

* * *

Tommy was practicing a kata by a waterfall. He was trying to clear his mind but could not stop thinking about Kaku and the Gorma.

A blur of motion suddenly leapt from the air. It was Jinn. Jinn attacked Tommy with a flurry of kicks and punches as Tommy blocked while stepping away.

"Jinn…what the…" Tommy said as he blocked a combination of kicks.

Jinn stepped back. "You give up on your Master too easily. Have you learned nothing from me?"

Jinn faded away just as quickly as he had appeared. His voice echoed through the wind. "Tommy!" Jinn's voice said from nowhere. "Keep fighting!"

Tommy checked his pocket, where he still had one of Jinn's coins from their first meeting. He held the coin in his palm and ran his fingers along its edges.

* * *

Shadam was sharpening a double-edged blade in his private chambers in the Gorma palace. He was preparing for his fight against Kaku as Gara and Zydos walked inside.

"It's almost time for the battle," Gara told Shadam as she stepped inside.

Shadam nodded.

"Did you see the power Kaku had?" Zydos asked.

"Of course I did," Shadam said. "I want you to take care of that, Zydos. Now that the Rangers are gone, it should be easy enough even for you."

Zydos grinned.

* * *

Adam sat on the rooftop near the first golden spear that Zilong had placed. He sat in a meditative pose with his eyes closed. He had one of Kujaku's feathers in his hand.

Kujaku's spirit appeared behind Adam as the feather started to glow. She was wearing white robes etched with sparkling diamonds.

"Kujaku," Adam said softly, his eyes fixed on the feather. He could not see her, only feel her presence.

"Adam…" she answered.

"It's over," Adam said. "The Rangers are gone…I don't know…" he shook his head.

"Adam," Kujaku said. "Your heart is strong…that is all you need to be a Ranger."

She disappeared.

"Adam!" Rocky yelled as he and the others joined him on the roof. "Guys…Something weird's going on…"

Tommy nodded. "I know what it is…"

"What?" Kimberly asked.

Tommy stared at the spear. "We're still Rangers, guys…we have to keep on fighting…together."

Explosions sparked around the teens and knocked them backward. They rolled to their knees and looked up to see Zydos standing on the roof along with a group of Kyonshi.

"Zydos," Tommy cursed as he and the other rangers rose to their feet and snapped into fighting stances.

"He must be trying to destroy the spear," Kimberly said.

"That would mean sensei would lose power," Billy said.

"We're not letting you touch that thing, Zydos!" Adam yelled.

Zydos laughed. "How are you going to stop me? You're powerless now."

"We'll see," Tommy said. "Let's go!" They charged at Zydos.

The Gorma emitted a red energy whip that he snapped across the rangers, knocking them backward and sending them skidding across the roof. Energy from the whip acted like a stun gun, practically overloaded every nerve in their bodies.

Zydos stalked towards them. "Once I destroy that spear…Shadam will rule…and your precious planet will be dust!"

* * *

Kaku and Shadam stood facing each other within the main chamber of the Gorma palace. It was their official introduction ceremony. The battle itself was to begin shortly afterwards on a battleground beneath the palace.

Shadam took a drink of wine from a gauntlet. He passed the glass to Kaku. Kaku took a drink and dropped the gauntlet, causing it to shatter.

* * *

Zydos paced back and forth in front of the rangers. "If you surrender, I will make your deaths quick and painless," Zydos said.

The teens remained silent as they slowly rose to their feet, gathering strength from force of will alone. They had come too far, and fought too hard, to go down without a fight. Powers or no powers. They were Rangers.

"Nothing to say? Well than let me tell you this…Shadam will kill your master…and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Bastard," Adam growled.

"I'm getting sick of this windbag," Rocky said.

"Let's do it guys!" Tommy yelled. "It's time to take care of business!"

The rangers snapped into their signature fighting stances and shouted their calls.

"Dragon Ranger, Heaven Fire Star, Red!"

"Lion Ranger, Heaven Illusion Star, Green!"

"Tenma Ranger, Heaven Gravity Star, Blue!"

"Kirin Ranger, Heaven Time Star, Yellow!"

"Phoenix Ranger, Heaven Wind Star, Pink!"

Tommy stepped forward. "Power of the stars, brought down…"

Together they shouted: "Heaven Star Task Force…Power Rangers!"

"Fools," Zydos spat. "Without your morphers, you're nothing! Kyonshi!"

The soldiers charged forward to attack.

Tommy leapt forward with a flying kick that slammed both his heels against a soldier's chest. He landed and spun forward with a reverse hook kick that smashed a second soldier across the head. Another soldier swung a saber down towards Tommy's head, but he grabbed the soldier by the arm and flipped the grunt off its feet while moving forward and slamming a reverse sidekick against another soldier's chest.

Adam used his left arm to block a soldier's blow and slammed the back of his right fist across a soldier's face. The teen hopped forward with a jump kick that knocked a grunt upside the head, and a jump roundkick that smashed the head of another soldier.

Rocky slammed a tornado kick across a grunt's head. A Kyonshi moved in swinging a short staff weapon. Rocky blocked the blow and slammed his elbow against the soldier's face before sidekicking the grunt backward.

Billy roundkicked a soldier in the gut and spun forward, moving in low with a palm-heel strike that slammed against a grunt's chest.

Kimberly slammed a knifehand against a soldier's neck and snapped an outer crescent kick across another soldier's head.

Tommy jumpkicked a soldier aside and sprang forward through the air, leaping towards Zydos.

The Gorma extended his hand towards Tommy and fired a red energy pulse. The pulse slammed against Tommy's chest, burning through his shirt and knocking him backward, sending waves of pain throughout his entire body. He slammed against the roof and skid backward, tearing up his skin.

* * *

Kaku slowly strapped on his armor while in his chambers within the Gorma palace. He thought of his students. _Tommy, Adam, Billy, Rocky, Kimberly…I must win…so they can live their lives…_

Meanwhile on the other end of the palace, Shadam transformed into his own armor. His armor was dark crimson and dull silver, almost like an iron shell that wrapped around his body as an exoskeleton would. Dull silver armor covered the right side of his face, and he had a dark red eyepiece over his left eye.

Shadam took his double-edged sword. "Kaku…I've been waiting 6,000 years for this."

* * *

Tommy ignored the pain and sprang back to his feet while moving through a dense group of Kyonshi. The ranger kicked and punched his way through, blocking various staffs and sabers along the way.

Zydos pounced forward and grabbed Tommy by the neck. The Gorma hurled Tommy off his feet and sent the ranger crashing hard against the roof.

* * *

The Gorma prepared a battle ground on the barren surface beneath their floating palace. Lines of Kyonshi blared trumpets as Shadam and Kaku walked onto the battle field, marked off by columns of white marble and stone.

Kyonshi carried the Gorma emperor to the scene on a small platform.

The trumpets stopped.

Shadam and Kaku unsheathed their swords.

A Kyonshi rang a gong.

Kaku and Shadam charged at one another.

* * *

The rangers slowly regrouped, limping after finishing off every Kyonshi. Their bodies were battered and broken. Their every limb ached.

Zydos faced off with the rangers and readied a large crimson energy pulse between his palms. The energy sphere crackled between his palms, thrashing violently. "This is the end!"

The teens stepped back into defensive stances. "Keep it together guys…get ready." Tommy said.

Zydos launched the blast forward. The rangers stood, placed their palms against their fists, and thrust their hands forward. "Ki!" They used their Kiryoku to emit an invisible energy shield that the Gorma's pulse slammed against.

The pulse tried to push forward through the shield. The rangers struggled to hold their ground and keep the energy barrier raised.

* * *

Kaku crashed his blade against Shadam's sword. Their weapons sparked against each other on impact. Shadam pushed Kaku back. The Gorma swung his blade downward towards Kaku's head.

Kaku parried the blow and slammed a roundkick against the villain's side. Kaku pressed forward and swung his blade upward in a diagonal blow that slashed across the Gorma's armor with a burst of spark.

Shadam kept his balance and thrust his blade forward like a spear. Kaku used his blade to slap the Gorma's sword away, then twisted his wrist and swung his blade horizontally, slashing across Shadam's armor with a burst of spark.

Kaku grabbed Shadam by the throat and lifted him off his feet, tossing him through the air. The villain crashed to the ground and slid across the dirt.

Kaku stood over Shadam. His back flat on the ground, Shadam swung his blade upward. Kaku slapped the sword from Shadam's hand. The sword went flying through the air and landed on the ground nearby.

Kaku aimed his sword towards Shadam's throat. The Rangers' former mentor hesitated. Kaku tossed his sword aside. He couldn't slay Shadam while he was on the ground and defenseless.

Shadam opened his jaw and spat spheres of blue flame that exploded against Kaku's armor with a burst of spark and knocked him off his feet.

"Fool," Shadam said as he rose to his feet.

Kaku climbed back onto his feet. He looked upward and raised his hand towards the air. He shouted an incantation in Japanese. The two spears in the city shot streams of energy that shot towards each other and combined. The combined energy stream streaked towards Kaku and struck his hand.

Energy surged through Kaku's body. Kaku gathered a sphere of golden energy between his hands. The energy sphere lashed out with lightning strands while pulsing between Kaku's palms.

Kaku thrust his arms forward and shot the sphere at Shadam.

The blast exploded against Shadam with a massive burst of spark and flame. The Gorma went flying backward, smashing through a trio of columns, pulverizing the structures.

Shadam slowly rose back to his feet, steam still rising from his armor because of the blast. "Zydos you fool," Shadam said. "You must have failed."

Kaku narrowed his brow. "What?

Nearby, Gara moved away from the crowd of spectators. Maybe Zydos needed backup.

* * *

The rangers were still using their Kiryoku to hold the energy blast back. But they were losing. Their energy shield shattered, the force of which knocked them backward and sent them crashing against the roof.

Zydos's energy blast exploded against the lance and shattered it.

"No!" Tommy shouted.

* * *

Kaku started to gather another energy sphere between his palms. But the energy sphere flicked away before forming. His link with the spears was gone.

Shadam smiled as he lifted his blade from the ground. "Or maybe he didn't fail…"

Shadam sprang forward and slashed downward across Kaku's chest, blade sparking on impact. Shadam stepped forward and slammed the back of his fist against Kaku's head.

* * *

Zydos laughed at the rangers. "Your master is as good as dead!"

"We have to do something," Kimberly said as they rose back to their feet.

Zydos fired another crimson pulse at the teens. The blast exploded around them with a burst of spark and knocked them backward.

The teens tried to rise back to their feet, but could not. The pain from the blast was too great. Their muscles and bones were worn and tired.

Jinn's coin fell from Tommy's pocket and landed on the roof's surface. Kujaku's feather was beneath Adam's hand. The turtle crawled from Billy's pocket. The ring fell next to Kimberly's hand. The banner was hanging from Rocky's pocket.

Images flashed before the rangers' minds. They appeared: Jinn, Kujaku, Kameo, Kou's mother, the Gorma trio…their images instilled a sense of determination in the rangers.

"It's not over yet!" the Gorma trio yelled.

"Fight on, Tommy," Jinn said.

"Billy, you can do it," Kameo said.

"Adam, fight with your heart," Kujaku said.

"The power is in you," Kou's mother said.

Tommy rolled his hands into fists, Jinn's coin held firmly in his right hand. The rangers fought against their pain. They fought against fatigue. They slowly rose to their feet while grasping their various objects.

They stood boldly and glared at Zydos. Their objects glowed with their signature colors. The rangers started to radiate with energy. They filled with strength. Pulses shot from the five teens, spanning across the city in less than a blink of an eye.

The pulses struck the Aura Morphers and Heaven-Star Thunder Gems within the Gorma palace. The morphers and gems shot forth in streaks of light, spanning miles in a fraction of a second.

The streaks of light struck the rangers. Their braces wrapped around their wrists. Their Thunder Gems appeared in their hands.

"How…" Tommy said. Tommy looked into the Thunder Gem. He tightened his grip on it and looked up, narrowing his eyes at Zydos. "Guys…" Tommy said. "It's morphin time!"

They armed their morphers. "Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms. They snapped into fighting stances and faced off with Zydos.

"Now…" Dragon Ranger said. "Where were we?"

Zydos screamed with frustration.

Kou suddenly leapt onto the roof from the fire escape ladder. The boy ran over to the Rangers with his morphing key and Byakko in hand. "Guys! Don't have all the fun without me."

"Get into gear," Tenma Ranger said.

Kou wrinkled his nose. "What?"

"…just morph," Tenma Ranger said.

Kou armed his morpher. "Chakra ignite, Kiba Power!" Energy shimmered around him as he morphed into his Ranger form. The White Ranger stepped back into a fighting stance to join the others in facing off against Zydos.

Zydos pulled an enlargement bomb and tossed it to the ground. The Gorma absorbed the energy of the explosion and used it to grow giant.

The Rangers extended their blades towards the air while grasping their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The main five Thunderzords appeared, charging over the landscape. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves into their zords' cockpits.

Dragon Ranger placed his hand over the crystal control sphere in front of him. "Red Dragon, rise up!"

Tendrils of crimson energy danced across the zord's armor as the Red Dragon changed shape. The massive zord reconfigured into its warrior mode and landed on the ground to face off with the Gorma.

The White Tigerzord dashed onto the scene, its four legs pumping with might. Kiba Ranger leapt into his zord's cockpit and inserted Byakko in the forward control console. "White Tiger! Rise up!"

The Tigerzord pulsed with energy as it transformed and assumed a warrior shape. The zord armed a curved golden blade.

Dragon Ranger's Thunder Gem began to glow with deep red power. The Red Ranger called upon that power as he called out. "Thunder Star Fusion!"

Lightning struck each of the zords as they radiated with energy. The zords started to change shape and reconfigure as they merged with Red Dragon. Tenma and Kirin formed armor around the Dragon's legs as the Phoenix wrapped around its waist. The Lion formed a chest plate and wrapped around the zord's upper arms as a gold and black helmet slid into place.

The Rangers joined in the central cockpit. "MegaThunderzord!" they shouted together. "Dairenou!"

Kiba Ranger extended his hand over his zord's control sphere. "Lets take him down, Byakko!"

"Let's go!" Byakko shouted.

White Tiger led the charge as the two zords moved forward to attack. The White Tiger swung its golden saber towards the Gorma. Zydos dodged and moved past the Tigerzord. MegaThunderzord stepped forward and swung a punch towards Zydos.

The Gorma grabbed the zord by the arm and twisted downward. He looked down on the streets below, where Gara was approaching the second lance. "Gara!" he shouted down to her. "Do it!"

Gara stalked towards the lance. She extended her hand and fired a crimson burst of energy that shattered the spear.

"No!" the Rangers shouted.

* * *

Shadam chopped his blade downward, the sword slashing across Kaku's armor with a burst of spark. Shadam stepped past Kaku while swinging horizontally, his sword sparking across armor on impact.

Shadam extended his hand and fired a crimson energy pulse that exploded against Kaku's chest, sending the general flying backward and crashing against the ground.

Kaku slowly rose to his feet. He thrust his hands and tried to draw energy again. But the spears were destroyed.

Shadam spat spheres of blue fire that exploded across Kaku with bursts of sparks and flame.

* * *

"Good work Gara!" Zydos shouted down to his companion.

Zydos then faced the Rangers' zords. "Now that your master is finished…allow me to take care of you!"

Zydos removed his leather mask, revealing his third eye and bulges across his hairless head. Zydos leaned forward and launched bursts of fiery energy from his head. Each magma blast exploded against the two zords, sending flames and explosions sparking across the zords' armor.

"Talk about a hot head," Tenma Ranger said.

"Rocky," Dragon Ranger said. He was not in the mood.

"Sorry," Tenma Ranger said.

Zydos launched another volley of magma blasts. The explosions knocked the zords off their feet. The two zords went crashing backward, toppling through buildings and ripping across the streets.

A flash of green pulsed through the streets in the distance. Daimugen the carrier zord rose and stomped forward through the streets.

"Ultra Thunder! Star Fusion!" Dragon Ranger shouted.

The Lion, Tenma, Kirin, and Phoenix formed a chariot that hovered through the skies. Red Dragon twirled his staff like a helicopter propeller to fly upward and land on the chariot.

White Tiger assumed his beast form and slid into the shell of Daimugen. The carrier zord returned to his four-legged form as the Thunder Chariot landed on top of the shell.

"UltraThunderzord!" the Rangers shouted as they joined in Dragon Ranger's cockpit.

Red Dragon spun its staff like a propeller as the Ultrazord hovered in midair. Red Dragon then swung his staff downward, but kept the staff spinning.

"UltraThunderzord! Lightning wave!" the Rangers shouted.

A torrent of rushing white energy blasted from the staff as the carrier zord fired massive pulse blasts from its side-mounted cannons and jaw.

Zydos used his power to erect a force field around himself as the massive energy wave splashed across him with a blinding flash of light. Even through the shield, the blast scorched Zydos's skin and caused explosions to spark across his body. The villain returned to his normal size with a final burst of energy. Zydos crawled across the ground below as Gara watched.

The teens powered down their armor and ran towards the streets in front of Zydos, watching as he crawled forward.

"Bastards!" Zydos shouted. Zydos tried to run towards the rangers, but his legs suddenly turned to clay and crumbled. Zydos opened his eyes wide in horror. What was happening to him?

Gara took a step back nearby. She had seen many Gorma die. But not like this.

Zydos extended his hands, but they turned to clay as well and crumbled to the ground. "What's happening to me?!"

His waist crumbled, and he crashed onto the bottom of his rib cage. His body slowly turned to clay and crumbled. His head was frozen in a scream before it turned to powder and blew away in the wind.

Horrified, Gara ran off.

"And now I've seen everything," Rocky said.

"Guys," Tommy said. "We have to go help sensei."

Billy nodded. "Now that those spears are destroyed, he's vulnerable."

"Everyone," Daimugen shouted from above. "He's this way."

* * *

Shadam lifted Kaku by strands of energy that sent bolts of power coursing through the general's veins, electrocuting the sensei. Shadam released his grasp, and Kaku crashed onto the ground.

"And now to finish it," Shadam said.

Kaku slowly climbed to his feet.

Shadam pounced forward with his sword held high.

Kaku lifted his hands into a defensive stance.

Shadam knocked the sensei's arms away.

The Gorma thrust his blade forward and stabbed through Kaku's stomach.

* * *

The teens tore through the mountains on their Thunder Cycles. They twisted the handles backward and opened the throttle to full. They swerved onto the battleground and found it deserted. The Gorma's inverted pyramid hung in the air above.

The rangers hopped off their bikes.

"That must be their palace," Tommy said.

Kimberly noticed Kaku up ahead. He was sitting on the ground, leaning against a pillar for support. "Look…"

"No," Tommy whispered. He and the other teens ran over to the column and turned to face their sensei.

Kaku was leaning against the pillar and breathing weakly. His left hand was over a gaping, bleeding wound in his abdomen. His eyelids seemed heavy. The headband he wore was covered in sweat.

"Sensei…" Tommy said as he placed a hand on Kaku's shoulder.

Kaku's eyes fluttered. "Shadam has won," he said in a hoarse voice.

"You're going to be okay, right?" Rocky asked.

Kaku tried to shake his head, but did not have the strength. He was about to die. "Shadam… will control the Gorma…he's even more mad then the current emperor." He looked at Tommy. "You must stop him…Now."

Tommy nodded, his hands rolled into fists as anger and sadness welled up inside of him.

"But," Kimberly said. "What about you."

"If we get you back to the lair," Billy said. "I may be able to help."

"It's too late for me…it's up to you now," Kaku said.

The teens were silent. Kaku's eyes looked over each of them individually. "I am very proud of you all," he said.

Kaku lifted his right hand. Tommy reached out and grasped it. The others followed and held firmly. Kaku nodded and looked at each of his students one more time.

Kaku's body went limp as he breathed his last breath.

"No…" Tommy said. "No!"

Rocky shook with anger. He turned away from Kaku and screamed, tears streaming down his cheeks. Adam wiped tears from his own eyes as Kimberly held onto Kaku's head, keeping her head low. Billy collapsed to his knees.

"We'll stop them, master," Tommy said quietly. "We'll stop them."

Tommy looked up to the Gorma palace above. His eyes narrowed.

* * *

Shadam swaggered through the halls of the Gorma palace as his laughter filled the halls. The Gorma Empire was his.

**To be continued…**


	28. End of an Empire

**End of an Empire**

Energy shimmered around Kaku's body as his own energy consumed him. His body turned to ash and blew away towards the distance, sunlight reflecting off of the ashes as they whisked away.

Tommy glared up at the Gorma palace. "He's up there," Tommy said. "Shadam's up there."

The teens stood besides Tommy. They stared at the palace above, grim looks of determination in their eyes.

"Let's go kick some ass," Rocky said.

"For sensei," Adam said.

"It's morphing time!" Tommy shouted. They armed their morphers.

"Chakra ignite, Aura Power!" They connected their braces. Energy shimmered around them as they morphed into their Ranger forms.

The Rangers extended their Thunder Swords towards the air while grasping their Thunder Gems. "Thunderzords, arise!"

The main five Thunderzords appeared, charging over the landscape. Red Dragon and Phoenix flew through the air as the Kirin, Tenma, and Lion charged forward from the ground.

The Rangers used their Thunder Blasters like grappling guns and reeled themselves on top of their zords. The Rangers leaned forward as the zords streaked upward towards the palace.

Dragon Ranger rolled his hands into fists. "I won't let them win, sensei…I won't."

* * *

Shadam stood on the central platform within the Gorma palace. He was dressed in his normal black leather uniform. Various priests and warriors spread across the central floor. They cheered for him.

Shadam raised his hand to quiet them. "General Kaku…has been defeated!" Shadam shouted. "The Gorma will now be mine to command…which means the truce is over!"

Gara suddenly ran from the shadows, shoving her way past the priests and warriors. She stopped at the platform and looked up at Shadam. Her eyes looked panicked. "It's Zydos," she said. "He's dead."

"What?" Shadam said.

"And…it wasn't natural…his entire body…it was as if his whole body was made of clay."

Shadam laughed. "I just inherited an empire…do you think I care."

An explosion sounded from the shadows of the palace's outer chambers.

"Knock knock, Shadam!" Tenma Ranger shouted from down a corridor.

"Shadam!" Dragon Ranger growled.

Shadam, Gara, and some of the warrior ran to the edge of the palace's central chamber.

They saw the five Rangers battling their way through an archway of tall, wide-spread pillars. Royal Guard soldiers, red-bodied Kyonshi, were being bashed away from the Rangers one by one. They saw the five Rangers move as one, smashing the grunts aside with a fluid combination of punches and kicks.

The priests and several dozen Gorma ran in panic, ducking into the dark hallways of the palace.

"Shadam!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he slammed a hook kick across a red Kyonshi's head. "We're here to make you pay!"

"You will die just as your sensei!" Shadam shouted.

Shadam snapped his fingers and summoned more Royal Guard from within the shadows. More than a dozen red Kyonshi surrounded two Gorma warriors. The Gorma monsters were covered in bulky suits of intricate gray armor. Only their third eyes were visible through their faceplates. Both monsters were armed with broad, double-edged swords.

The Rangers and Gorma Royal Guard slammed against each other with a flurry of blows.

Phoenix Ranger slammed the edge of her hand against a grunt's neck. She slammed an outer crescent kick that smashed the soldier aside while bashing in its head.

Two of the red Kyonshi swung their staffs towards the Pink Ranger. Phoenix Ranger grabbed a soldier's staff and ripped it upward from the grunt's hand, smashing the grunt upside the head while turning back towards the other soldier with a spin kick across the head.

A soldier charged towards Kirin Ranger from the side. The Yellow Ranger leaned forward and slammed the heel of his palm against the soldier's body, crushing its chest. Kirin Ranger armed his ring-shaped Star Blade and spun to his right, ripping a red Kyonshi across the chest with a burst of spark.

Two more soldiers swung their staffs towards the Yellow Ranger. Kirin Ranger used his Star Blade to slash across the grunts' wrists, disarming them before kicking them aside.

Dragon Ranger outer blocked a soldier's blow and slammed a sidekick against a grunt's chest. A second soldier swung its staff towards the Red Ranger's legs. Dragon Ranger hopped over the staff and kicked the grunt in the face while smashing his fist against a second grunt's head.

Red Ranger unsheathed his Star Cutter and jammed the dagger through a soldier's chest. Dragon Ranger spun forward with a reverse hook kick that smashed in a soldier's head.

One of the Gorma monsters charged at Tenma Ranger while swinging its blade through a horizontal arc. The Blue Ranger ducked under the blow and rose back to full height while smashing a tornado kick against the villain's head. Tenma Ranger continued the spin and slammed a reverse sidekick against the villain's chest.

The monster stood its ground and swung its sword towards the Blue Ranger. Tenma Ranger blocked the blow and slammed a roundkick against the villain's side. The monster stumbled backward as Tenma Ranger pressed forward with a flurry of tornado kicks.

The second Gorma speared its blade towards Lion Ranger's faceplate. The Green Ranger sidestepped and slammed the back of his fist across the villain's head.

The Rangers fought with all their strength and will.

Shadam unsheathed his sword and charged back into the thick of the battle. "Bastards!"

Gara armed her fencing-type saber and charged in to back up Shadam. But Lion Ranger extended his Thunder Sword to block her path. "Gara," Lion Ranger said as he raised his sword into a fighting stance. "You're mine."

Gara lifted her sword. "You are as foolish as your late love, Kujaku."

Lion Ranger charged forward to attack.

"Adam," Phoenix Ranger called as she ran to help the Green Ranger.

Gara leapt to the shadows, wanting more room to maneuver. She leapt from the Gorma palace and arced her descent towards the ground below. Gara landed on the barren surface.

Lion Ranger and Phoenix Ranger landed on the ground near her and snapped into fighting stances.

"Gara," Lion Ranger said. "Kujaku showed you mercy, and this is how you honor her for it?"

Gara readied her sword. "Fool. I am Gorma…nothing else will ever change that." She charged forward to attack.

* * *

Back in the Gorma palace, Shadam was fleeing through dark passages lined with white columns, lit only by faint torches. Dragon Ranger was in hot pursuit, using his Thunder Sword to tear through every red Kyonshi that stood in his way. "Coward!" Dragon Ranger shouted. "Come out and fight!"

Shadam spotted a double door and ducked inside. The door slammed behind him.

Dragon Ranger ran out into the open to where he last saw Shadam. He looked behind him and saw the door. The Red Ranger tried to open the door, but was blasted back by a bolt of energy from the door handles.

* * *

Elevated pillars extended far from the ground below. Shadam stood on one of the pillars while speaking to the emperor, who was hovering on his platform.

"It is not time yet, Shadam," the emperor said. "You may have beaten Kaku…but you cannot be emperor while I still live."

"The Rangers are here," Shadam said. "Only the power you hold can defeat them."

The emperor nodded. "But of course."

"But your mind is too warped to handle the power," Shadam extended his hand. "So hand it over, and let me use it to crush my enemies."

"Fool," the emperor said as he pulled a red ruby out from his robes. "It belongs to me."

The emperor extended the ruby towards Shadam. Tendrils of crimson energy blasted from the ruby and slammed against Shadam, electrocuting him while knocking him off the pedestal. Shadam fell through the darkness before crashing on the ground several stories below. The emperor looked down towards Shadam. "Thank you for reminding me that I still have power over you…I had forgotten."

The emperor extended the ruby again. Tendrils of red energy shot forth and exploded against Shadam below.

* * *

Gara swung upward with a diagonal strike that slashed across Phoenix Ranger's armor.

Lion Ranger moved in towards Gara's side and swung his Thunder Sword towards her neck. Gara parried the blow and chopped her sword across Lion Ranger's armor, the blade sparking on impact.

Gara extended her hand and emitted a crimson tendril of energy. The energy strand wrapped around Lion Ranger and tightened, pinning his arms to his side and nearly crushing his chest.

The Gorma snapped Lion Ranger off his feet and slammed him against a rock face. She swung him back around and slammed him against the ground while sending a burst of energy through the strand. The pulse exploded against the Green Ranger's armor with a burst of spark.

Gara snapped the Ranger backward and crashed him against the rock face again before releasing the tendril's grasp.

Lion Ranger gained a footing along the rock face and pushed off. He sprang through the air towards Gara and slashed his saber down towards her head. Gara parried the blow and cut the Green Ranger from the air with a swipe from her sword.

* * *

Shadam slowly rose to his feet and looked up at the emperor. Shadam laughed mockingly. "You have power over me? I created you…"

The emperor laughed, his high-pitched voice echoing through the darkness. "Now who's losing their mind?"

"This charade has gone on long enough," Shadam extended his hand.

The emperor's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't breathe. The emperor tried to fire the ruby at Shadam again but could not move his hand. His arm had turned to solid clay. A wave of emptiness washed over him as his entire body turned to clay and started to crumble.

The emperor opened his eyes wide with horror while looking down at Shadam. The last thing the emperor saw was his own hand crumbling and falling through the darkness below.

Shadam caught the ruby in the palm of his hand. "It's finally mine…all the powers of the Gorma…mine to command."

* * *

Kirin Ranger slashed his Star Blade across the armored Gorma's chest. He followed with a front kick that slammed upside the villain's head. The Gorma swung his broad sword towards the Ranger's helmet. Kirin Ranger swung his Star Blade as hard as he could and shattered through the villain's weapon with a burst of spark.

Kirin Ranger stepped back into a fighting stance and aimed his Star Blade at the Gorma monster. "Star Blade Assault!" He used his Kiryoku to energize the blade and shoot it forward like a bullet.

The blade shot through the villain's body, tearing the monster's insides apart. The villain crashed to his knees as his body overloaded and exploded with a burst of flame and spark.

Meanwhile, Tenma Ranger battled the second Gorma monster. The villain swung his sword towards the Blue Ranger's body. Tenma Ranger kicked the blade away and spun forward with a roundhouse kick that slammed across the Gorma's head.

Tenma Ranger pushed forward with a final strike.

"Tenma Flash Kick!" He launched a series of tornado kicks, each blow slamming across the monster's head with a streak of blue energy. The final kick pulverized the villain's head with a violent burst of spark. The Gorma crashed backward and exploded.

Tenma Ranger and Kirin Ranger ran into the dark corridors to regroup with Dragon Ranger.

The Red Ranger was standing in front of the doors. A wave of the red-clothed Kyonshi were swarming around him. Dragon Ranger snapped a roundhouse kick across a grunt's head. He spun forward with a reverse sidekick that smashed a second grunt.

"Fire Stream!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he thrust his hands forward and produced a stream of fire that exploded against the remaining villains and knocked them off their feet.

Tenma Ranger and Kirin Ranger regrouped at the their leader's side.

"Shadam?" Kirin Ranger asked.

"This way," Dragon Ranger said as they turned towards the door.

The three Rangers thrust their hands forward towards the door. "Kiryoku!" A combined wave of invisible energy shattered through the door while ripping it off its hinges. They ran into the massive chamber of darkness, surrounded by rising pillars.

"Rangers!" a high-pitched voice called to them from above. They looked up.

The emperor's crumbling mass was still falling apart. The emperor's eyeless, separated head was calling down to them. "Rangers!" the emperor screamed, his voice thick with madness. "Beware of Shadam, he's not what he seems…beware the creator…"

The emperor's head crumbled and crushed along with the rest of his body.

"Okay," Tenma Ranger said. "Now I've _really_ seen everything."

"He died just like Zydos," Kirin Ranger said.

Another voice's laughter echoed throughout the chambers. The laughter seemed just as insane, but different. The voice seemed maddening, thrilled to the depths of its dark soul with newfound power. It was Shadam.

The Gorma stood on a pillar above with the red ruby in his hand. The ruby was sending tendrils of energy coursing through Shadam's veins. He continued to laugh as the white robes of the Gorma emperor appeared around him, and his face became pale.

Shadam looked down at the Rangers as the ruby continued to flash with red-tinted energy within his hand. "Rangers…" he said. "The emperor, Zydos, and Gara were resurrected by me…all for this moment."

Shadam held his ruby high above his head. The ruby pulsed with energy and shot downward with jagged bolts of energy. The energy blasts exploded around the Rangers with bursts of spark that thrashed across their armor.

* * *

Gara extended her palm and fired an energy pulse that exploded around the two Rangers as they rolled for cover. Lion Ranger and Phoenix Ranger rose to their feet and sprang forward through the air, leaping towards Gara to attack.

Gara opened her jaw and spat spheres of fiery energy that exploded against the two Rangers' armor and knocked them from the air. The Rangers crashed against the ground, smoke still rising from their chest armor because of the blast.

"You two disgust me," Gara said as she charged towards the two Rangers.

"Same goes for you," Lion Ranger said as he rose. He placed his fist against his palm. The lion eyes on his helmet flashed with pale blue light. "Heaven Illusion Star, Mist Concealment Destruction!"

Lion Ranger thrust his arms forward. He fired a stream of fog that surrounded Gara. The Green Ranger created an illusion of a subway train. The train crashed through Gara and exploded across her body.

Phoenix Ranger stepped forward and placed her palm against her fist. "Heaven Wind Star! Whirl-wind Destruction!"

Phoenix Ranger blasted a whirling stream of pink energy that blew across Gara, knocking her off her feet as explosions sparked across her body.

Gara crashed to the ground. Lion Ranger and Phoenix Ranger walked over towards Gara's fallen form. The Green Ranger extended his Thunder Sword down towards the Gorma's neck.

Gara narrowed her eyes at the Green Ranger. "Do it."

"Goodbye, Gara," Lion Ranger said.

A feather of Kujaku suddenly drifted from the air and landed at Lion Ranger's feet. The feather started to glow and pulsed with energy. The energy flashed towards a nearby cliff above. An image of Kujaku's spirit appeared. Her translucent body was covered in white, sparkling robes.

Adam powered down his armor and ran to the base of the cliff. He looked up at Kujaku, his eyes wide open in amazement. "Kujaku!"

"Adam…" Kujaku said as she looked down towards him. "The enemy you fight is not the true Gara."

Gara rose to her feet and narrowed her brow while looking up at Kujaku. "What?"

Kujaku extended her hand. A flash of light appeared besides Kujaku and took shape. The shape formed another woman in white robes. The woman was Gara.

Below, Gara opened her eyes wide in shock. "What?"

"You are dead, Gara," Kujaku explained. "Your soul has been winged to heaven by the power of my prayers. The body you have now…is nothing more than a puppet grown from Shadam's memory of you."

"Impossible!" Gara shouted as she collapsed to her knees.

Coldness washed over Gara's body. She was turning to clay. She keeled over in pain as she screamed. She landed on all fours. Her arms started to turn to clay and crumbled. Gara collapsed onto her chest. Her head turned to clay and rolled off her body before crumbling.

"Gara," Adam said as he and Kimberly watched.

"She is with me, Adam," Kujaku said. "Her soul will finally be at peace. As will mine…it was nice to see you."

Adam nodded. He was speechless. His breath caught in his throat.

"Goodbye, Adam," Kujaku said. She and Gara disappeared.

"Kujaku…" Adam whispered.

* * *

"Behold the power I now have and tremble!" Shadam shouted. He fired another volley of bolts that exploded against the three Rangers below.

Shadam laughed with madness as he teleported to the lower level of the chamber. He tilted his head back and cackled with insanity as he walked towards the three Rangers.

"Shut up!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he unsheathed his Thunder Sword.

Dragon Ranger, Tenma Ranger, and Kirin Ranger surrounded Shadam. They pounced forward at once to attack, but Shadam blasted them back with another pulse from his ruby. The pulse exploded against the Rangers' armor with bursts of spark and knocked them back.

"How does it feel, Rangers, to know you are moments away from seeing your precious master in hell?"

"Bastard!" Dragon Ranger shouted as he charged towards Shadam.

Shadam used the ruby to emit an energy leash that wrapped around Dragon Ranger. Shadam snapped the Red Ranger from his feet and swung him through the air. Dragon Ranger crashed through several pillars as the leash tightened, causing explosions to thrash across the Ranger's armor.

* * *

The battle caused a ripple of disturbance. Ripples of chaos. Ripples of battle. Noise. Daijinnryu hated noise.

The gigantic black dragon snapped downward from the clouds like a serpent. The demon dragon roared, its voice producing a shockwave that crumbled mountains. The dragon cast a shadow on everything below as it landed and stared down at the floating Gorma palace and spheres.

The black dragon opened its maw and fired jagged bursts of yellow energy that exploded through several spheres. The spheres ripped apart, and debris started pounding against the palace, tilting the inverted pyramid's axis.

Below, Adam and Kimberly collapsed as the ground trembled from the black dragon's landing.

"Not him again," Adam said.

"Tommy…" Kimberly said. "He's still up there with the others."

* * *

The inside of the palace nearly ripped itself apart as debris crashed against the pyramid. Shadam struggled to keep his balance as the palace started to rock. "This can't be happening now!" Shadam shouted.

Rubble started to fall as the ceiling above collapsed, and pillars crumbled down. The Rangers struggled to keep their balance while avoiding the debris.

* * *

The dragon continued to pour energy from its massive mouth. Gorma spheres exploded into billions of pieces that crashed against the pyramid.

Below, Kou and Kameo ran to Adam and Kimberly. "Phoenix Ranger!" Kou shouted.

"It's Daijinnryu!" Kameo shouted.

"We noticed," Adam said.

* * *

The palace was falling apart. Blue lightning discharged from the pillars and walls, thrashing across the Rangers' armor with bursts of spark. Fires erupted as energy overloads continued to storm throughout the shaking palace.

"Tommy, we have to jump ship," Tenma Ranger said.

"Don't even think about it, Dairanger!" Shadam shouted in a maddening voice.

Shadam pounced forward and glided past the Rangers while slashing across their armor, his claws sparking on impact. Shadam landed and turned to face the Rangers. He extended his ruby and blasted them with another lashing of jagged energy strands.

* * *

Adam, Kimberly, and Kou ran towards the palace. They looked up as the Gorma fortress continued to rock and tilt from the black dragon's attack.

"No!" Kameo shouted as he ran towards the three rangers. "You'll be killed!"

"We have to help the others," Adam said as he and the others armed their morphers.

"Chakra ignite!" they shouted as they leapt through the air and transformed into their armor.

* * *

Dragon Ranger pounced forward and swung his blade towards Shadam's head. Shadam knocked the Red Ranger's arm away and pushed him backward, sending him crushing through a pillar.

Kirin Ranger and Tenma Ranger swung their swords towards the Gorma's body. The villain hovered above their swords and blasted them with strands of crimson energy that exploded across their armor with bursts of spark.

Shadam flipped through the air and landed on top of a tilted pillar.

Lion Ranger, Kiba Ranger, and Phoenix Ranger entered the chamber and regrouped around their teammates. "Shadam!" Lion Ranger shouted.

Shadam laughed at them. "All six of you? You're making this too easy for me!"

The villain extended his hand and fired crimson energy blasts that exploded against their armor with bursts of spark that knocked them backward.

"Guys," Dragon Ranger said as he rose to his feet. "We have to take him out now."

"How?" Kirin Ranger said.

"We'll focus all our power through our gems," Dragon Ranger said. "Just like he's doing with his."

The Rangers held their Thunder Gems between their hands. They thrust their arms forward and focused their Ki through the gems. Streaks of multi-colored light shot forth and exploded against Shadam, sending him flying off his feet and toppling across the shaking palace floors.

Shadam rolled back into a crouched fighting stance and fired a jagged beam of energy that whipped across the Rangers' armor, sparking on impact.

Kiba Ranger rose to his feet and tightened his grip on his saber. "Byakko," Kiba Ranger said. "We have to make him pay…for my mother…"

"Let's do it Kou!" Byakko shouted.

"Kou?" Shadam said, the madness consuming his mind. "My son…"

"You're nobody's father!" Kiba Ranger shouted. "You're a twisted shell of a human being!"

The Rangers held tightly onto their gems and thrust their arms forward. Blinding beams of light burst forth and speared towards Shadam. Shadam extended his ruby and fired a crimson energy blast that slammed against the Rangers' energy beams. The blasts intercepted and thrashed out of control, ripping apart the chamber and causing massive bursts of flame and spark.

The shockwave knocked the Rangers and Shadam backward. The rangers' armor powered down from the feedback, and Shadam returned to his normal black-leather garb. His ruby was cracked, damaged beyond repair.

Outside, the black dragon fired a burst of energy that knocked the Gorma palace from the air. The palace crashed against a mountain and started sliding down the mountainside.

The inside of the palace shook violently, throwing the rangers and Shadam off their feet. Flames erupted around them.

Shadam climbed back to his feet and bolted off towards one of the palace's smaller hallways. Tommy narrowed his eyes as he watched Shadam flee. The teen sprang forward and bolted after the Gorma.

"Tommy!" Kimberly called for him. But Tommy was already inside the passageway.

* * *

Shadam was knocked off balance as the palace continued to quake. He leaned against a wall for support and kept running.

Tommy sprang forth and slammed a jump sidekick against Shadam's back. Shadam toppled forward but rolled back to his feet. The ranger moved in and attacked with a round kick across Shadam's head and a reverse sidekick against the villain's chest.

Shadam ducked and slammed his fist against the ranger's gut. Tommy slammed his elbow down against the back of Shadam's neck. The villain collapsed to the ground, and Tommy kicked Shadam upside the head.

Shadam sprang forward and grabbed Tommy in a chokehold, nearly snapping the ranger's neck. "You are as foolish as your father…"

Tommy narrowed his eyes. He grabbed Shadam's wrist and twisted to break free from the chokehold.

"Burn Knuckle!" Tommy shouted as he swung his left arm forward. His fist radiated with fiery energy and slammed against Shadam, crushing his chest and sending him slamming against the hallway wall.

Shadam collapsed to the ground as coldness washed over him. He was turning to clay. Shadam opened his eyes wide with shock. It was impossible. His hands turned to clay and crumbled before his own terrified eyes. He would have screamed, but his throat was only clay. He glared at Tommy before his head turned to clay and crumbled onto the ground.

* * *

The other rangers and Kameo ran from the palace and took cover as it skid to a halt and exploded. The shockwave sent the rangers and Kameo flying through the air and skidding across the ground.

"Tommy!" Kimberly shouted. She prayed he had made it out alive.

Then through the smoke, the rangers saw Tommy limping forward.

"Tommy!" they shouted as they ran to him.

Kimberly wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "That's the second time you've done that to me."

"Sorry dear," Tommy said as he grinned.

"You idiot," Rocky said. "You scared the crap out of me."

Tommy nodded. "Let's go home."

* * *

The rangers compared stories about their final battle and managed to piece together a partial explanation.

The battle between the Gorma and Dai tribes ended 6,000 years ago. Kaku, Tommy's father, Kou's mother, and others, survived throughout the centuries because of The Power and their Kiryoku.

There were those within the Gorma remnant who had integrated themselves into society, but wanted the war to start again. They wanted the Gorma empire back. But the few remaining Gorma would not follow any leader. They would only follow their emperor.

Kaku was next in line to be emperor, but defected. So someone recreated the emperor from memory. Someone recreated Shadam and the Gorma Triumvirate. Someone planned to have Shadam defeat Kaku in battle and assume the title of emperor.

But who?

* * *

The five teens ran through the street and stopped in the park. Tommy sighed as he faced the others. "Well…I guess this is it," Tommy said.

Rocky nodded. "This the part where we go our separate ways."

"It's what Kaku wanted," Adam said. "Us to go on as normal."

Tommy extended his hand. Kimberly placed her hand on top of his. The others did the same. Tommy looked to each of his friends. "Adam…Rocky…Billy…Kimberly…"

One-by-one, they walked off in silence.

No one noticed the Dark Man watching from behind a tree. "Don't worry, Tommy," he said quietly. "You'll see your friends again soon enough."

**END**

**Ultimate Power Rangers continues in Year Three: "Ultimate Power Rangers: Zedd"**


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